What does your drink say about you?

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Marketers spend a lot of time dissecting the various demographics and psychographics of target markets and I’m wondering if you could do a study of what all your customers order at a Starbucks, or if they even frequent such a place, and come up with appropriate marketing messages.

For the record, I’m a grande coffee with 2 shots of espresso added – the fact that people call this drink names like a depth charge or red eye ought to tell you something. (More on this when I’m back at the office)

So, what are you?

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Posted by: John Jantsch on Feb 13, 08 | 8:08 am
Category: Marketing research, Mobile Post | Tags:

Comments

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Jodi

Well, I (gasp!) don't drink Starbucks coffee. I tend to stick with either English tea with milk or hot cocoa with whippped cream, especially in bad weather.

Not sure what that makes me.

Donny

I'm either a tall coffee with a shot of espresso (red eye) or a tall americano. No milk or sugar. Just black. I'm about to be done with Starbucks. I'm tired of their prices going up. Starbucks has become the McDonalds of coffee. It quick and convenient but there are alot of better choices out there now.

holly

I'm a grande Americano, no room, two ice cubes, with a dash of cinnamon.

Bill Maher said the longer the Starbucks order, the bigger the jerk. I like to think I just know what I like. I also wonder how unbelievably long Bill Maher's order must be.

What this really amounts to is some genius marketer realizing that people love talking about themselves, and if you can get them to talk about themselves by referencing your product, then you have achieved brand loyalty. Brilliant, confounding Starbucks geniuses.

John Jantsch

Well Jodi - I wonder, is your choice of drink a bit of a personality cocktail?

C'mon English tea with milk, you must be a real party at the cricket matches!

John Jantsch

Okay Holly that Bill Maher crack is hilarious - so now I'm wondering what Natalie Maines drinks!

David Rosam

A double espresso, barista, please - espresso ristretto, if you have it!

Lars

I have a conspiracy theory about Starbucks. They make their coffee so undrinkably strong so that you are forced to buy one of their milky espresso drinks at a much greater cost.

That said, I drink a tall Misto, which is Starbucks' version of a cafe au lait (milk and coffee). And I'd prefer to drink a tall latte that is even milkier, but I think it's a ripoff to drink one daily.

I'm hoping Howard Schultz will turn around Starbucks and make it awesome again. It's getting a little bit too "McDonalds" in feel.

JasonFalls

I'd be a Maker's Mark and diet, but they don't serve that at Starbucks, so I guess I'm just a diet soda. Wait ... they don't serve that at Starbucks either. Does that mean I can't be a drink?

Good post. I often like to compare people to the brands they associate with or the characteristics of what they consume. Ironically enough, I envision myself as a Toyota Tundra but I drive a Nissan Altima. I envision myself as Applebee's but I don't eat there very often. My favorite restaurant is Wendy's.

How do you view yourself in terms of brands? Interesting conversation!

Matthew Scott

I'm a tall Americana with an espresso shot. I just feel like a score more "man-points" when I don't order anything with whip cream or 1/2 cup of foam.

Matthew Scott "men@pause"

Mark Polino

I'm a venti sugar-free vanilla breve latte. Always venti.

My wife is a caramel macchiatto, extra caramel upside down.

Pardon any spelling problems. My drink means I'm too lazy to look all words up!

Mark

Ken G.

Here in Minnesota we have Caribou Coffee to compete with Starbucks! I'm a Caribou Guy when I feel like dropping hard earned cash on what my father calls Phu Phu drinks. Hazeltine Latte, Moosed! (xtra shot of espresso in Caribou talk). Caribou needs a Liqour License, so the Moose can be a shot of Crown Royal! Not sure what that says about me, actually that's not true...I know exactly what that says about me. Stay Warm Everyone!

Jim M

What I think is funny (with the exception of Ken G.) is the title and conversation being centered around coffee. I thought it was about Jack & 7, Gibsons, Martinis, and Scotch.

It's funny that this generation has a new definition of the generic "drink".

Good job, John!

John Jantsch

Jim I do sometimes have a skinny vodka with no foam! Does that count?

Kelly

Well, I'm an Iced Venti Hazelnut/Vanilla Latte....but I'll admit that can get pricey every day (which is how often I have to have it or my head explodes!). So I solved that by getting my own espresso machine (Sbux, of course). I buy the lg bottles of syrup at Sbux (for about the size of one of these drinks)-which lasts a couple months, get my espresso beans at the store...save and re-use/re-cycle my iced cups...and, oh yeah - it helps to know the recipe. There's ways to feed your addiction that save money - ha!

Varju

My Starbucks purchases (trendy coffee mug, James Taylor CD, Alicia Keys CD) indicate that I don't go there for coffee...It is too bitter for my European taste. But I like the atmosphere and friendly service.

Jerad Hill

My drink is a Grande no water chai. Have you ever consulted the online starbucks oracle? If not and you can handle some shrude humor I suggest you google search for the "Starbucks Oracle."

Jerad

Tara Kelly

I live in Italy, so the espresso here is real [evil grin] so when visiting the US, I prefer American coffee.

I like go to a place where I can order a "regular coffee" and they know that means a little milk, a little sugar... Starbucks staff just stares at me blankly.

John Jantsch

Jared - Yes, I've seen the Oracle thing, it's a bit lame and probably put together by people who think farting is comedy.

John Jantsch

Tara - your comment is a perfect illustration of my original point - and I did have one.

Mark Williams

My midwestern cheapness precludes me from regularly buying the Starbucks. On those rare occassions when I visit, it's usually just the plain old coffee.
I do ocassionally have the Gingerbread Lattes when they are "in season."

Jodi

>>Well Jodi - I wonder, is your choice of drink a bit of a personality cocktail?

C’mon English tea with milk, you must be a real party at the cricket matches!

rachel

i'm a one-pump mocha lactose-free tazo chai.

sometimes with no foam.

Jeff Brown

I go to Starbucks to drink coffee. :)

Grande coffee with room, please.

My clients consider Starbucks as multiple satellite offices for my firm. :) I often use the store nearest my home for work breaks, spending up to an hour or more reading books on anything but real estate.

According to the current conventional wisdom, I'm a walking contradiction. I'm certified Old School, yet am an unabashed Starbucks fan.

Your take on people and their drinks is pretty interesting, which is why I came over. I wonder how many agree with me that most of the culture's so called Starbucks cliches are superficial at best and gibberish at worst?

Ken G.

It just occured to me I should explain Hazeltine (Rather than Hazelnut) We live in Chaska/MN and the Caribou Coffe shop is 2 blocks from Famed Hazeltine National Golf Course..Home of US and PGA major championships. Caribou picked up on the theme and all Hazelnut Drinks are labeled Hazeltine...For us in the Twin Cities it has been fun to watch another "Corporate Coffee Shop" beat up Starbuck's Market Share. An outdoor "Up North" theme involving Caribou and Moose seems to have targeted the market correctly in our area. Even though the product is almost identical!

Anybody for a good cup of Joe?

Ali

Tall skim latte, decaf. Two pumps caramel syrup.

(Don't know what this says about me as a person. Do know that I always try to be extra nice to the barista, because I feel guilty for having a finicky order.)

BJ

Here's mine and I guess it makes me a big jerk and that's no pun on my initials:

Grande, Nonfat, White Mocha, 2 Pumps with room and whip.

Here in lovely SoCal, mine is far from the most obscure :)

Jodi

Not sure what happened with my last comment.

I meant to add, Nah, I drink English beer at cricket matches! ;-)

Virgil Dodson

Wow, what a great idea to get people to click through to your blog and comment. I see there are already 27 comments in less than a half day.

By the way, I'm a Grande Mocha, no whip.

:)

John Jantsch

Virgil, People are clicking through because this is riveting stuff here!

Jeff Bishop

John, If Starbucks were Coca-Cola, I'm "Classic"...just regular and NOT-DECAF!!! Why drink coffee otherwise!?! DARK ROAST BLACK coffee..."straight up!"

Joost

I am not a coffee freak and I am happy to choose an energydrink based on vitamins and minerals - giving a productive boost that lasts for about 3 hours.

styleosophy

Hey John,
Here in Chicago, we call your drink a 'black eye". Very masculine :)

I treat myself to a pricey Quad Tall Extra Vanilla Soy Latte during the winter monthes and switch to a much cheaper Iced Vente Extra Vanilla No Water Americano during the summer monthes. I guess that I even have drinks that apply to the seasons makes me picky?

The rest of the time I make my own coffee at home, in a french press (which makes even the worst coffee taste excellent).

Mike Bawden

Actually, I'm a glazed donut and coffee, black. What? Can't do my order? Just the donut, then.

Unfortunately, I more closely resemble a jelly donut than I care to admit. :(

Best discussion thread I've read all day, John. Keep up the great work!

Mike

Andrew Venditti

Can't stand Starbucks, but I'd love to see one of these about what you order at the bar! I'm Johhnie Black on the rocks, or guinness...

Lani Anglin-Rosales

As a daily Starbucks drinker, I can say that I faithfully stick to my tall peppermint mocha, even in the summer- I don't even have to tell them what I want. That says about me that (1) I'm loyal (2) I don't like to try new things (they'll be gross, I just know it)!

My husband though mixes it up but it's never froofroo, so marketers should know that (1) he's willing to stray from the norm and take chances and (2) he is open to being sold new product (in the form of flavors).

Really, really interesting dissection... I'll keep thinking about this theory, John.

Virgil Dodson

Hi John, I completely agree. I enjoy reading your blog posts but I mostly read them from bloglines. I only click through when I want to comment or suspect others have commented. I know it's a special art to get people to read an entire post... let alone get them to comment. Great job with this site.

Hayley

My drink depends on how many trips I have made to Starbucks recently due to the calories their drinks pack on. If I am treating myself, then it is a Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte with 3 Equal. Otherwise, a Venti Non-Fat, Sugar-Free Vanilla Latte with 3 Equal.

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