Starbucks is an extremely successful company in the coffee shop industry. Its logo is one of the most recognizable in the world. The Starbucks coffee chain has over 31 thousand locations around the world, namely in 80 countries, and their number is steadily growing every year. The name of coffee shops is so popular that it has already become synonymous with coffee.
For a huge number of people around the world, the morning begins with a cup of hot coffee from the most popular coffee chain in the world. This is a level of success that the three men who started the network could only dream of. However, in the face of all this success, it's easy to forget Starbucks' humble beginnings and the interesting history behind their ever-recognizable logo.
If you are interested in developing a logo from a professional designer, you can find out the cost and order a logo on the page of the corresponding service by clicking on the button below:
Logo development
The history of the creation of Starbucks
The Starbucks logo and brand in general, according to statistics, is recognizable in 7 out of 10 cases. The company was founded in the 70s of the last century by friends who were devoted coffee fans. Initially, it positioned itself as a store where customers could purchase their own roasted coffee. Since they had few clients, the creators were ready to devote maximum of their time to each of them and tell different stories about this drink.
The idea of Starbucks is to create a special place where people could relax with a cup of coffee and immerse themselves in a pleasant atmosphere. At the same time, the cafe acted as a buffer zone between home and work. There is an opinion that thanks to this establishment, Americans and the whole world began to love coffee as much as they love it at the moment.
According to Starbucks CEO G. Schultz, what is of particular value to the organization is not the amount of caffeine around the world, but the fact that, day after day, customers come again and again for the best cup of coffee and help create that very atmosphere.
For many years, special attention has been paid to branding, which has been put forward as a key element of the development strategy. A colossal amount of money was invested to create a standard appearance not only for caffeine stores, but also for all the products offered in them.
Their logo is one of the most recognizable in the world. The company takes a responsible approach to entering new markets – other countries. At the same time, it recreates the accumulated experience in each of them, which is the key to Starbucks’ permanence.
Interesting facts about Starbucks
- Today there are more than 21 thousand Starbucks coffee shops in the world. At the same time, on average, two new retail outlets open every day.
- The company says there are more than 87,000 different Starbucks drinks available today. There are about 36,000 Frappuccino combinations alone, so to try them all, you'd have to order 5 cups every day for 47 years.
- A cup of Starbucks coffee contains 320 milligrams of caffeine, which is four times the content of a Red Bull energy drink.
- Every year, Starbucks coffee shops around the world use about 4 billion cups.
- When Steve Jobs introduced the new iPhone in 2007, he called Starbucks to show off all the capabilities of his device.
- Howard Schultz, the current owner of the company, is always trying to make his coffee shops better. When he learned that his customers liked the music in the cafe and often asked where they could find it, he released a CD of jazz and blues. It is worth noting that on the first day of sales more than 75 thousand discs were sold.
- The front doors of any Starbucks coffee shop face east or south. However, you will not find a point where the front door faces north. Everything is done to ensure that visitors enjoy the daytime sun, but it does not blind their eyes.
- Starbucks pays its landlords one dollar a year. This does not apply to everyone, but the corporation knows that no one will be left without profit. Even the most impassable places will become profitable spots, because people will want to come to Starbucks for the atmosphere and their favorite coffee.
Now let's take a closer look at this iconic company and find out how it gained its popularity and gained a positive reputation around the world.
Starbucks' first logo
In the year the store opened, the first logo was created, which is significantly different from the modern one. There was text around the picture on the logo, and the image was complemented by explicit details of the siren in the form of a bare chest and lower body, ending with the tail of a fish. The first logo was created in brown colors.
Starbucks logo and name
The name Starbucks comes from Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick. One of the characters in this story is called Starbuck. This inspired the creators. The logo also reflects a nautical theme. It depicts a half-woman, half-fish (mermaid) - a siren. According to legend, she lured sailors deep into the ocean with her beauty and singing.
Starbucks' original logo used a 16th-century engraving of a mermaid. The first logo was brown and the image wasn't very attractive. But in 1987, the new owner changed the logo and made green the predominant color. After this, the logo changed two more times. Today it looks like a mermaid in a green circle.
History of Starbucks logo changes
The Starbucks logo has changed only 3 times in its history. Let's talk in more detail about each rebranding.
1987
After the 1987 crisis, which became known as Black Monday, people lost their money. But the organization did not intend to close, but decided to rebrand to attract customers. The main element added to the new logo was two stars. Thus, the creators were going to justify the name caffeine, taking advantage of a simple association that was understandable even to children. During this period, the logo became more concise and brighter.
1992
In 1992, the logo was changed again. His focus was on Siren's face. This option can still be found today, since it acts as a secondary logo. It can be seen in the photo showing branded cups. Perhaps such changes were necessary from an aesthetic point of view. After all, not everyone may find the wide belly and spread tail on the central logo attractive.
2011
The 2011 logo is currently in use. Now it is depicted without a circle and text. The siren is depicted in white on a green background, when previously it was black. The concept of the changed logo is reflected in simplicity. Thus, the caffeine chain celebrated its 40th anniversary since its creation.
How Starbucks works
As it turns out, most people don't go to Starbucks for coffee. Of course, everyone who has ever heard of this famous chain of coffee shops wants to try the taste of coffee from a global brand. But surveys show that customers go to Starbucks for the atmosphere.
In fact, this is not an accident. After all, this is what the corporation’s marketers are constantly working on. Howard Schultz himself is confident that people come not only for a drink, but also for a personal experience - to chat, meet friends, work or just sit in a pleasant place with a cup of coffee. Therefore, the Starbucks team is trying its best to create a favorable environment for this.
By the way, it’s interesting that Schultz coined the term “third place.” It denotes the place that is in the middle between work and home (the places where we spend most of our time). It is on this concept that the entire Starbucks business is built - to fill souls, not stomachs.
Apart from this, people are attracted by the personal touch of the brand. A simple example is when you buy coffee at Starbucks, your cup will have your name written on it. It's a small thing, but nice. And this also played a huge role in the brand's appeal.
Another important point in Starbucks’ corporate policy is open, friendly communication between staff and visitors. It is unlikely that a silent person will be hired as a barista, no matter how professional he is. The priority is communication skills and a good attitude under any conditions. By the way, in the 2000s, this concept came under threat when the company purchased new coffee machines. They were so large that they blocked the baristas, so they could not communicate with customers. To solve this problem, we had to redo the bar counters and lower the devices lower.
We hope you found this article from Elgreloo.com interesting. If you know any other interesting facts about Starbucks, share them with us in the comments!
Why is the Siren on the logo?
The inspiration for the creation of such a logo came from books with a marine theme, where engravings were presented. The symbol of the city of Seattle, including its seaport, was the mermaid. The stars were placed on the logo to match the name of the then coffee shop.
The siren with two tails dates back to the 8th century. The creators who decided to rebrand did not change the logo completely, but only removed the lower part of the image. So they decided to continue the life of the Siren who once inspired them, focusing on her face. It was depicted with asymmetry, which caused a public outcry. The founders explained this idea by saying that in this way her face became more friendly and realistic.
New era: greening the siren and circumnavigating the world
Baldwin , Bowker and Seagle didn't have long to rest from the annoying Schultz. After leaving the company, he founded his own chain of small coffee shops, Il Giornale , named after the Italian newspaper. In them, he embodied all his ideas about coffee culture in a big city and quickly made a crazy profit . After a year and a half of independent work, in 1987 he was able to buy out the entire network of his beloved Starbucks for a fabulous $4 million and combine the brands . And away we go.
That same year,
branded coffee shops inside stores spread across America. A product catalog was released, the audience of buyers expanded, the company's shares appeared on stock exchanges and began to grow by leaps and bounds. During the first five years of leadership, Howard increased the company's profits by more than 50 times .
By 1992, investors received a return of 5,000 times their original investment. The company logo has changed - the siren has settled in a green circle and has become a little more welcoming. Coffee shop employees became co-owners of shares: Schultz could not offer everyone full-fledged health insurance and instead distributed small blocks of company securities to employees. They called him an idiot, but this took the service to a new level. It was as if the client came to each barista’s home. Fresh baked goods, salads , and sweets have been added to the menu . Branded tableware with constantly changing designs also appeared on sale
Starbucks did not enter the international market due to “translation difficulties” and the fear of becoming McDonald’s. Howard Schultz was very concerned about how the signature Starbucks atmosphere would transfer to other countries with different cultures and attitudes to work. But in 1996, the first coffee shop opened outside the United States - it was in the city of Tokyo. It is very difficult to test new projects in the capital of Japan due to enormous competition and a specific mentality, but everything was successful; franchises dreamed of buying all the major cities in Europe and Asia. Starbucks has become a global brand with 25,000 locations , and the popularization of coffee culture has reached its peak. The cardboard cup conquered the planet, the siren became a superstar.
The main thing is the atmosphere
You certainly can’t argue with the fact that Starbucks coffee shops make great coffee. This has been the case since the very day the company was founded, and this is one of the cornerstones of this public catering network.
But there is another reason for the popularity of these coffee shops: most visitors choose them because of the atmosphere that reigns in the establishment. Soft armchairs and sofas, beautiful fireplaces and lighting features create a special, almost homely atmosphere, conducive to conversations, relaxation and leisurely work. This is why visitors come to Starbucks coffee shops: to sit, talk over a cup of coffee and relax or work where nothing will interfere. In no other catering chain, most of which focus on animation programs, is it possible to concentrate on something for a long time, especially if the establishment is designed for quick service, where it is not very possible to sit at a table for longer than 10-15 minutes .
Another “calling card” of Starbucks is that divine, incomparable aroma of excellent freshly brewed coffee, which you feel immediately as soon as you open the door of any of the establishments owned by this company. And all because Starbucks purchases only the highest grade coffee beans that can be found from manufacturers.
And, finally, a significant role in the success of Starbucks coffee shops is played by the attitude of the service staff - baristas or bartenders - towards visitors. Invariably polite, accommodating and infinitely friendly - it captivates immediately, and together with all the other attributes already listed above, it creates that unique “branded” atmosphere of any of the establishments belonging to the Starbucks coffee chain.
Starbucks chips
Like any well-built commercial chain , Starbucks has several unique marketing techniques that ensure popularity.
- Personalization . Your name written on the glass, the barista’s personal address to you - all this creates the feeling that you are always welcome to see, your tastes will be given special attention and you are very important to this establishment.
- Product quality . All drinks on the menu are prepared using proprietary technologies from real high-quality raw materials and have their own shades of taste. For example, espresso will taste a little like tart caramel, and mocha will taste like nuts and vanilla. In addition, you can change the drink to your taste - for example, make it completely unsweetened, use soy milk, or add some special syrup.
. Coffee shops are located only on streets with high tourist or household traffic. Initially, they were placed exclusively on those routes where most people go to work and return home every day. Starbucks always stands where you want to rest.
Location- Interior . The design of the premises is different, but always looks calm, cozy and warm. Almost every table will have a different decoration, the music playing does not distract from conversations and work, the lighting is soft but quite intense. The room always smells like coffee. Even the windows and doors are located in a special way, only on the south or west side . This was done to prevent the bright sun from shining into the clients’ eyes.
- Communication . All employees communicate with the client during the coffee preparation process. Here it is considered quite normal to be friends with customers, and not just pretend. Single people have become much more comfortable visiting public places and not feeling uncomfortable.
Drinking coffee , tea or plain water is a matter of taste, but everyone should definitely Starbucks
American Butler company knows the best gastronomic spots in the USA , and will also tell you about the culture and life of America first hand. Read us on the website and on social networks , and if you have questions, suggestions or a desire to visit the states , welcome to the chat window.
How it all began
The Starbucks company began with a small store selling high-quality coffee beans, which was opened jointly in 1971 in Seattle by three friends: English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siegl and writer Gordon Bowker. To do this, they had to contribute $1,350 each and also borrow $5,000.
But why did three aspiring entrepreneurs choose coffee? It's very simple: they themselves adored it and wanted other people to be able to drink quality coffee too.
THIS IS INTERESTING! The name of the campaign was borrowed by the founders from Herman Melville's book Moby Dick, which they loved almost as much as fresh, well-brewed coffee.
The image of a siren was chosen as the logo - a charming half-woman, half-fish with her breasts uncovered. If you believe the ancient myths, these creatures masterfully knew how to lure sailors into their traps, enchanting them with their voices and incredibly beautiful singing.
The first store was located on Western Avenue in 1971-1976, but then moved to Pike Place Market, where it finally settled.
At first, Starbucks was exclusively engaged in selling roasted coffee beans, but did not brew the drink itself for sale, except for tastings. At the same time, at first she bought green coffee beans from intermediaries, and later, about a year after her opening, she began purchasing them directly from coffee farmers.
