For the Love of Latte

Breezing by Starbucks on my way to work, I patiently waited until lunchtime when I could order my beloved iced venti soy sugar-free caramel latte.  The hours without it seemed to drag on, as I longed for the energy and mental keenness I perceive that my latte gives me.  As I placed an order for Lisa Nickerson’s drink, a venti, nonfat, stirred, light whip,  one-pump dark cherry, one-pump mocha, I realized that the nearly $5.00 many spend on specialty drinks may not just be for the java boost.  In fact, many regular coffee drinkers prefer the taste of Dunkin Donuts coffee.

So how has Starbucks reeled in the intelligent entrepreneur and income-lacking college students alike?

It is no secret that Americans like their coffee.  54% consume coffee on a daily basis, with 77% consuming coffee yearly.  In short, market saturation is huge.  But unlike the abundant saturation of coffee shops on every street corner, Starbucks has identified consumers’ needs and capitalized on them.  Starbucks is an impressive case study of a company with a strategic vision that flows from CEO Howard Shultz down to baristas at the more than 16,000 locations in 50 countries.  This vision is to provide a home away from home for customers to simply “hang out.”  This second “home” was there for me during that semester I spent in Texas as well as the summer I spent in Barcelona with limited Spanish speaking skills.  Starbucks is everywhere – with its cozy sofa chairs, cheerful music and customized lattes drank out of a green straw.

Of course I recognize the unshakeable brand loyalty that Starbucks has instilled in me.  Starbucks has connected with the “home” in their customers, the deepest consumer-company bond.  Starbucks even throws us a few gifts, as they realize they are nearly recession-proof and causing debt in their most loyal customers.  Starbucks introduced free Wi-Fi in all stores during June 2010.  The treat receipt is back as well, enticing customers to come back after 2pm with their morning receipt for any $2 grande drink!

As a Starbucks fanatic, I can confidently say that I am in love and would never cheat.  In fact, we can only see the good in our loyal obsession.  But realistically, these new perks are just there to reel us back in.  Like an unhealthy relationship you keep trying to cut ties with, Starbucks comes back and manipulates its customers into falling back in love all over again.

Although a daily Starbucks habit could be traded in for twice yearly weekends in Vegas, nine pairs of designer denim, or bi-weekly eyelash extension upkeep, you do not need to be lectured as long as you are satisfied with the daily life boost your latte brings.

Disposable income is all about choices, and critics are likely spending their money elsewhere rather than saving.  At least we know that Starbucks is a respectable company with great employee benefits and positive world influence with a great future ahead.  And get excited: Beer and wine are set to become staples on the menu!  Starbucks is playing the “home away from home” card again by providing wine-induced gossip sessions after work.  Sneaky, but I’m excited for it.

What do other Nickerson employees think about the Starbucks culture?

“Why does there need to be a Starbucks on every corner in NYC?”- Venisse Wu

“I don’t see the point when I can spend half as much on a coffee at Dunkin’s.”- Rachel Licciardi

“Is there really any other choice? A (few) Starbucks a day… keeps, well, Lisa happy!”- Lisa Nickerson

By: Monica Mercer

iPhone 4 – Hit or Miss?

June 24^th, 2010, a day to remember; a day where die-hard Italian football fans mouth-dropped at the total annihilation from the World Cup, a day where former vice president Al Gore was exposed to allegedly having an affair with Larry David’s ex-wife, but most importantly, a day where many tech-savvy individuals call-in sick or drop whatever they were doing for the day and herd over to the closest Apple store to see the launch of the new iPhone 4.

Apple re-vamped iPhone 4’s appearance with a more modern and straight-edge glass exterior with a stainless steel band that serves as an antenna system wrapped around the edges of the phone. So what’s new about the iPhone 4?

• The camera has been upgraded to 5 megapixels with a digital zoom ability so you wouldn’t have to awkwardly stick your phone so close to the object in order to shoot it
• It has an additional front-facing camera that enables it’s users to use the video call app, FaceTime, to video chat with others, or encourage more better-quality profile pictures to post on your facebook, twitter or myspace profile
• A grouping function for your apps that allows you to sort your apps by categories so that you wouldn’t have waste 10 minutes scrolling through 20 pages looking for the Paper Toss app when you’re on a 30 minute break
• Higher resolution screen that allows you to see everything in high definition and can help you become more attentive to details
• The background of the main menu will no longer a bland black; the wallpaper you choose for the opening screen will also be the background of the main menu as well
• Lastly, it has a new multi-tasking function that allows users to play third party apps, like the Pandora app, in the background while you work on other things and allows you to switch between apps quickly

The iPhone 4, however, doesn’t come without its flaws…there have been numerous complaints that the wireless and network connections are disrupted and sometimes it even fails to receive any signal when you hold the phone a certain way, the multi-tasking function doesn’t apply for all apps (a sad news for the youtube app, which means you can’t listen to Dave Chappelle’s act while updating facebook or sending out an email), and also the FaceTime app is only on WiFi and can only be used with other iPhone 4 users (so if your friend doesn’t have an iPhone 4…looks like you’re still stuck with voice calling). Another upsetting issue comes with the accessories for the iPhone 4; after knowing that this is a highly-anticipated product, suppliers of the protective covers should know to stock up so that iPhone 4 users can protect their shiny new toy from scratches. But after two (2) days of countless searching at different electronics stores and at the Apple stores, I have reached a conclusion that users who unfortunately didn’t purchase a cover on the first day that the phone was released or don’t want to pay for the over-priced product (at $30.00!), would have to resort to either bubble-wrapping the iPhone 4 or painfully hope that they wouldn’t drop or scratch the phone for the next couple of weeks.

 

So what do the associates at Nickerson PR think about the iPhone 4? Would they wait or buy it now?

Rachel Licciardi: “I really like the new design a lot better than the other generations of the iPhone, the interface is great and the display looks a lot better (on my iPhone 3GS).” – Wait

Michelle Babai: “I love the sleek look, it’s going to attract a lot of new customers.” – Wait

Venisse Wu: “It looks okay…I don’t like how it’s very blocky, it looks like it’s going to slip off my hands really easily, but other than that, I love the new iOS 4 software they put into it.” – Wait

Monica Mercer: “I’m excited for the video aspect of the new phone, but I am going to wait until the price drop.” – Wait

  

 

Written by Venisse Wu