Arianna O'Dell

I’m usually the first one to jump down a companies throat for bad branding efforts. More recently, Seattle’s Best Coffee changed their classy brand into something that looked like it was from a gas station.

Sorry, please excuse me while I go throw up (again). This was a terrible change of brand.

If you want to hear me get angry – the post is right here for your reading pleasure from a few months ago.

Today, one of my friends sent me a link to the Starbucks re-brand saying “Looks like one company knows how to not fuck up a re-brand”. I completely agree.

I really dig the new logo.

It looks slick and classy – everything the Starbucks brand is trying to embody. Even though I love it, I’ve heard a few counter points like :

It should have been brown :

via @danidotnoah

Where did the text go? Bring it back!

Believe it or not, I actually tried really hard to alter this image. I don’t have any graphic design skills. Sorry to disappoint. Okay, back to the other reasons against the Starbucks logo….

They simply just don’t like it.

All valid arguments. I’m not sure if I would like the brown logo or would prefer it with words. I think the proposed logo really speaks the Starbucks brand of prestige. I’m satisfied (for once) with this logo change. From a branding standpoint, I feel the logo serves it’s purpose of maintaining the current and favorable image of the company with a more futuristic look. For the customers who “just didn’t like it” – valid concern as well. Sometimes you just don’t like something.

So, now let’s look at a little progression of the brand from the 1970s.

Starbucks, you’ve come a long way. Nicely done and well executed. I love the new Starbucks logo.

What do you think?

I am sitting in McDonald’s right now. Right now, I’m not here for the food, I’m here for the free Internet.

Right now, I’m hearing French. I’m hearing English. I’m hearing German, Spanish, Italian, and other languages of all kinds. I’m in Paris! Why are so many tourists here when they could be eating McDonald’s in their hometown?

This is probably my 50th visit to a McDonald’s since I began traveling over the past few months. During my many visits, I have noticed so many great examples of marketing and branding initiated by the fast food giant.

Many people disapprove and even boycott the multi-billion dollar chain because of it’s unhealthy products and high caloric meals. Even so, I can’t help but admire the amazing brand McDonald’s has managed to build internationally and their diverse customer base . What are some of their brilliant branding efforts?

Distinct colors - The vibrant red and yellow are the same throughout every country I have ever visited. Not only are the colors bright and eye catching, but the signage at every McDonald’s can be seen from at least a block away. Walking down most “touristy areas” the golden arches are a reassuring constant among unfamiliarity and are placed strategically on high streets and in center locations throughout major cities.

Standard products – The products at McDonald’s remain very standard from country to country. Even though the menu is changed somewhat to cater to different demographics, the layout of the menu and format for ordering remain constant. The familiarity is reassuring to many, putting them at ease from the stress of international travel. Going into a McDonald’s you know what to expect. Cheap food, quick lines, and mediocre quality. 9 out of 10 times, your expectation is correct.

I used to work at a McDonald’s. Yes, I mopped bathrooms, cleaned floors, said “would you like fries with that?”. Working at a McDonald’s during my teenage years is something I am far from ashamed of. Not only did I get to flip burgers, but I got to see first hand the efforts McDonald’s went to in order to make each product standard. McDonald’s has so many procedures and regulations that employees must follow in order to ensure that products are prepared in the same way from store to store. From measuring cups, to detailed production charts, the company strives to deliver universal products packaged similarly at each location.

Stay as long as you like - Even though the hard plastic seats are designed for quick meals, not one employee has asked me to leave for sitting for an extended period. How is letting me loiter in their restaurant helping their bottom line? Here are a few reasons:

- Staying so long makes me feel obligated to buy something. Every time I have sat down to use the Internet I have bought a drink. Their markup on soft drinks is an enormous percentage. After working in the food industry and seeing how soda fountains work, you quickly realize how much money is made from water based drinks.

- Because they don’t mind me camping out – I’ll continue to come back. Other places have cut me off the Internet after 1/2 an hour!

- I will recommend McDonald’s to any friends traveling overseas who will be in need of Internet.

- I will be reminded of the feeling of being at ease and comfortable during my last visit, every time I pass another store.

Why would you go to a McDonald’s when you could do that at home? – In countries where I am not a speaker of the language I find it hard to order, and sometimes will even resort to ordering something I don’t even want, just for the ease of the transaction. In the McDonald’s I am in right now, the the menu is in French with some English. But in addition to writing, there are numbers so a tourist could simply say or point to what I would like to order – saving many tourists the frustration of foreign ordering.

From all the countries I have visited I have yet to see a deserted McDonald’s. Why? Familiar atmosphere, a reassuring taste of home, and abundant in cities, McDonald’s is definitely doing more than one thing right in terms of branding and marketing.

Would you like fries with that?

One of the best parts of my days is when I see the ads on the tube change. Okay, that probably makes me sound like a freak but hey, I love my marketing. Over the past few days, I have seen Gumtree ads plastered everywhere. A few months ago, I had never heard of this business, nor have I ever see such brilliant marketing by an online company.
 
To start, let me back up just a little bit for those of you in the United States, who are not yet familiar with Gumtree. Gumtree is basically the United Kingdom’s version of Craigslist. Now think Craigslist with a sleek design, awesome advertising efforts, and an easy to use web interface.
 
While yes, I like the site and its functionality, I love the company more for their effective marketing efforts. Why are the efforts of Gumtree so effective?

Great Advertisements

Solving a problem – The ads depict a need a typical consumer may have. The ads then offer a solution. Example: Sofa wanted, sofa for sale” Problem and solution; all resolved within the context of an advertisement – Brilliant!
 
Contrasting colors - Orange and green. Both eye catching and bold, the ad is not overwhelming with a vast array of color to get lost in. For the past few days, I have slowly watched the eyes of others wander then fixate on the ads for an extended period of time.
 
Little text - On the tube and bus, no one wants to sit and read an essay plastered onto a poster. Gumtree’s ads are simple with just enough text to get the point across.
 
Eyecatching & Intrusive - The message on each ad depicts a different need. . While the ads may be intrusive to your daily routine – good advertising knows how to turn heads and capture attention.  

Unforgettable - The Gumtree ads are very memorable. My favorite game to play with my friends (okay they are probably annoyed by this) is me saying “tell me what company that ad was for, without looking back at the ad”. Very rarely can others remember the company name of the ad they just saw. Often times, they can remember what the ad was and the tag line, but forget the most important part – the company. The logo and text both allow the Gumtree ads to have a higher success rate than most others.

Building an Online Brand IRL

Just getting home a little bit ago, I saw that Gumtree had hosted an event in London from my Twitter feed.  The event definitely got people talking and built goodwill towards the company. When looking for a site to find a computer and a flat, I have been recommended to Gumtree by over 20 Londoners. The company has built a loyal following and has managed to spread its brand through word of mouth – Excellent!

It is a shame that more online companies do not seem to have their act together in this practice. I am extremely pleased to see an online company take their marketing efforts offline. To build a brand and sustainable company, web oriented companies definitely need to be building their brand both online and off. I would love to meet whoever works in their marketing department!

There are  very few things that get me riled up. One of those things is bad business branding. As an avid coffee drinker, I am fascinated with the way coffee company’s have changed over the past few decades. Last night, while browsing my Twitter feed I saw a link posted by Calvin Freitas to an article about the new branding Seattle’s Best Coffee has just started to roll out.

To give some brief history, Seattle’s Best Coffee company originated from a Whidbey Island coffee company called “Whidbey Island Wet Whisker”. Over the past thirty years, the name has changed three times, as did the branding each time.

In 1983, a family purchased “Whidbey Island Wet Whisker” changing the name to  Stewart Brothers Coffee. In 1994, the name was once again changed to Seattle’s Best Coffee. Ever since this change, the branding and logo has remained someone constant. Now, 16 years later, the company has decided it needs a more modern looking logo and a new branding strategy?

Whidbey Island Wet Whisker —> Stewart Brothers Coffee —> Seattle’s Best Coffee

Here is the proposed new logo.

This is a stupid idea. Not only is the proposed logo ugly, but it nearly diminishes the brand created over the past two decades. For the past 16 years, the company has been branded in a way that creates a homey yet urban feel. With this branding Seattle’s Best Coffee has created a very loyal following. Growing up accustomed to the original and constant logo, I can’t imagine the company with anything different.

The proposed logo tries to be modern, hip, and trendy – depleting the values of family that the company was once founded on. I understand that the tech scene is large within the Seattle community – but this do NOT mean that coffee cups should have a web 2.0 like logo.

Appalled, I posted the link to my Facebook profile. Here are a few of the reactions I received.

If a customer has been loyal to your brand for years, why would you re-brand the product and give them something unfamiliar? I do not see how forcing a customer to “startover” with your brand can do any good for your bottom line. Growing up with original Seattle’s Best logo, I do not see how any other logo could possibly resonate the same way. Terrible branding idea on their part.

Million dollars of marketing dollars have already been spent to portray the company in a certain light. Why would you throw away the loyalty you have already created? Seattle’s Best please don’t make this mistake. Change is not always for the best.

What do YOU think of the new logo?

When I went home this weekend I took a look at some of the products my family had around the house. Upon looking through the medicine cabinet, the only product that that made me go “huh?” seemed to be the “Suave for Men” shampoo. I remember when this line launched about a few years ago – my brothers instantly became victim to the products marketing efforts and immediately, there became a designated guys and girls shampoo.

Today I heard from a friend that Starbucks is test marketing 32oz drink sizes. My first thought to this is “What? Why on earth would you ever even consider this?!” This is an incredibly stupid idea. Who in the marketing department came up with this? Things like this make me want to scream: AHHHH!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

When I think Starbucks, I think prestige and quality. 32oz does not relay this message. 32oz says cheap, 32oz says bargain, 32oz says poor quality.

While some consumers may be excited about the prospect of getting more bang for their buck, this is an incredibly bad idea for the Starbucks brand and image. I can not say that I have ever had a beverage from a 32oz size that I would consider to be quality and well made – why would it be any different with coffee? Milk, soda, and cheap ice tea should come in a 32oz size. Starbucks coffee should not.

Why is this a 32oz fail? Here are three of the many reasons:

1.) Would You Like Some Chips and Cigarettes With That? - 32oz makes me think gas station. By putting a 32oz beverage into the product mix, Starbucks will put themselves in the same category with 7/11.

2.) 32oz?! Get More For Your Money! - How do you market a 32oz drink size in a classy and sophisticated way? Oh that’s right…you can’t! Even so if you could, marketing efforts will be wasted on something that doesn’t appeal to the mass consumer base of Starbucks lovers. The typical Starbucks visitor is looking for a mid to upscale experience, not a BigGulp. Starbucks should focus on getting consumers to make more trips back to the store – not let them go on their merry way with one coffee to last all day.

3.) Board Meeting Party Crasher – Imagine walking into your next big board meeting with a 32oz coffee. Something about this does not seem to fit within a professional business atmosphere. Even though many professionals will refuse to admit it, your cup of coffee says something about your image and personal brand. Drinking Starbucks is seen as professional and has a place in the business world. 32oz does not. A huge coffee in a plastic cup makes you look sloppy and will make you stand out – do you want to be the outlier?

When companies try to branch out to spread their offering to include every possible size, color, or varierty they ultimately fail. Consumers are overwhelmed by the choices – giving them more is not always a good idea.

Please Starbucks – Do NOT make this mistake.