Chris Marsh

Last Monday I rolled through the Starbuck’s drive-thru at 7:32 a.m., just like every other weekday. That Monday, I wistfully remembered my uncle telling me twelve years ago that I should move a good portion of my investment dollars over to this coffee company called Starbucks. He had looked at its business plan and he felt sure they were on to something. I ordered my normal grande caramel macchiato, extra fat, extra caramel drizzle, and waited a few moments for the box to tell me it was time to contribute my $4.38 to the corporate machine.

Instead, the box asked if I would like to reduce my carbon footprint, and pay $11.00 today for the same drink, but save .10 cents each time I ordered from then on. Sweet! I can be environmentally responsible and have more dishes to wash each night! I’ll be in the money in six short weeks! Wait, does the extra soap and water I’ll use cancel out the landfill costs? I don’t know……well, no time to do the math. Absolutely, I tell the box. I’ll drink my coffee from a cup made from 80% recycled material and enjoy it even more!

Starbucks has promised to reduce its waste by making all of their single-use cups recyclable by 2012, and all of their cups reusable by 2015. Now I’m fairly sure that I made the corporate machine jump for joy, because I have tried to get them to fill my cup at the window several times, but the health department “won’t let” them, so would I mind to come into the store? Now I have to park, turn the car off, get out, go in, wait in line, order, and look at the other items available for purchase while I wait. Ok, so I bought a couple CDs, a cool mug for Halloween and a few Starbucks gift cards for my employees, at least I am being environmentally responsible, right?

Anyway, today I rolled through the drive-thru at 7:32 a.m. I ordered my drink from the box, asked for a refill and was rejected, and threw the reusable mug in the backseat floorboards. I believe I quintupled my monthly investment to Starbucks this month. I wonder how many people have done the exact same thing since Starbucks started selling reusable coffee mugs. Is the goal to make environmental responsibility easy and affordable, or is the goal to make corporate profitability easy and subtle?

Marketing does not have to be expensive. Television, billboards, and radio commercials do not have to be purchased to create a need and bring a pertinent message to the market. If a brand knows its market, and has already established a time for interaction with the market, all which is needed is a little training to have employees ask one simple question, and bang! Loyalty grows, profit soars, and the whole market grows stronger.

How many of you have reusable coffee cups you don’t use?

Graphic Credit:
http://www.animationfactory.com