opposed to, say, McDonald’s or KFC, there is an almost tangible sense that the people and the company’s “friends” are united by a common outlook on life: one to do with embracing, not resenting, the tolerant opportunities of a broader view of life, and with not much room for cynicism. This sometimes exposes Starbucks to attack from more cynical commentators who are not disposed to give a business or a brand the benefit of the doubt.
So Howard knew that he had to move quickly on a number of fronts, addressing the needs of people inside as well as outside the company. His confidence in the product was undiminished, and with Dave Olsen in charge he knew that issues of roasting, making and serving the best cups of coffee were in safe hands. This freed him to think of everything else, to think of the brand, because he now believed that the brand was in everything and everything was in the brand. He expressed it like this: “A company can grow big without losing the passion and personality that built it, but only if it’s driven not by profits but by values and by people.”
Howard set about creating the basic building blocks of the brand. This meant first defining what kind of business he wanted Starbucks to be, then showing his own people what it might mean to them and involving them in the discussion. Aware that a certain amount of trust had seeped out of employees, he made it his priority to reestablish a climate of trust and confidence, and a sense of fairness and respect. His aim was to create a business that valued and inspired people, and shared rewards as fairly as possible.
The first big decision he had to take had the effect of reassuring Starbucks’ people. It also happened to be the right business decision for the long term. The question was this: with the coming together of Il Giornale and Starbucks, what should be the name and logo on the shop fronts? Il Giornale might be Howard’s new baby, but he knew that the name Starbucks meant more in Seattle. It had been around for much longer and was easier to pronounce. There was also a feeling that it would be more honest to go with the unmistakably American “Starbucks” rather than the pretend Italian “Il Giornale.”
Deciding on a name is, of course, crucial for any brand. Names send signals of intent, personality, identity. We all know from our own experience how names shape our sense of self. Starbucks was chosen because it had equity, but also because it still retained the resonance of legend and mystery that had made it seem such a good name in the first place. Now there was an opportunity to build on the legend.
As always in these situations, the staff of Il Giornale were left wondering. Many of them had grown attached to their Italian name. But they accepted the force of the argument, and the company’s new visual identity at least gave them the feeling that something had been salvaged from the business they had been building. Both the Starbucks and Il Giornale logos featured illustrations of mythical figures. With the help of Terry Heckler, Gordon’s creative partner and the designer responsible for the original Starbucks identity, the two logos were merged. The new Starbucks siren was less like a book-plate engraving; she had a strong graphic presence that was contemporary, and she was set in a roundel with the brand name in the style and color from Il Giornale. A similar approach was taken with the look of the stores. They changed from brown to green and were opened out to be lighter and fresher. These were shops where you could enjoy a cup of coffee; they certainly were not restaurants. This philosophy has remained as the shop design has evolved over the years.
People, as we all know, pose a trickier problem. We all have our own personalities and values, so why would we want to adopt anyone else’s? Yet that, effectively, is the pact that a brand makes with its employees. A brand has values; they have to mean something if the brand is
So Howard knew that he had to move quickly on a number of fronts, addressing the needs of people inside as well as outside the company. His confidence in the product was undiminished, and with Dave Olsen in charge he knew that issues of roasting, making and serving the best cups of coffee were in safe hands. This freed him to think of everything else, to think of the brand, because he now believed that the brand was in everything and everything was in the brand. He expressed it like this: “A company can grow big without losing the passion and personality that built it, but only if it’s driven not by profits but by values and by people.”
Howard set about creating the basic building blocks of the brand. This meant first defining what kind of business he wanted Starbucks to be, then showing his own people what it might mean to them and involving them in the discussion. Aware that a certain amount of trust had seeped out of employees, he made it his priority to reestablish a climate of trust and confidence, and a sense of fairness and respect. His aim was to create a business that valued and inspired people, and shared rewards as fairly as possible.
The first big decision he had to take had the effect of reassuring Starbucks’ people. It also happened to be the right business decision for the long term. The question was this: with the coming together of Il Giornale and Starbucks, what should be the name and logo on the shop fronts? Il Giornale might be Howard’s new baby, but he knew that the name Starbucks meant more in Seattle. It had been around for much longer and was easier to pronounce. There was also a feeling that it would be more honest to go with the unmistakably American “Starbucks” rather than the pretend Italian “Il Giornale.”
Deciding on a name is, of course, crucial for any brand. Names send signals of intent, personality, identity. We all know from our own experience how names shape our sense of self. Starbucks was chosen because it had equity, but also because it still retained the resonance of legend and mystery that had made it seem such a good name in the first place. Now there was an opportunity to build on the legend.
As always in these situations, the staff of Il Giornale were left wondering. Many of them had grown attached to their Italian name. But they accepted the force of the argument, and the company’s new visual identity at least gave them the feeling that something had been salvaged from the business they had been building. Both the Starbucks and Il Giornale logos featured illustrations of mythical figures. With the help of Terry Heckler, Gordon’s creative partner and the designer responsible for the original Starbucks identity, the two logos were merged. The new Starbucks siren was less like a book-plate engraving; she had a strong graphic presence that was contemporary, and she was set in a roundel with the brand name in the style and color from Il Giornale. A similar approach was taken with the look of the stores. They changed from brown to green and were opened out to be lighter and fresher. These were shops where you could enjoy a cup of coffee; they certainly were not restaurants. This philosophy has remained as the shop design has evolved over the years.
People, as we all know, pose a trickier problem. We all have our own personalities and values, so why would we want to adopt anyone else’s? Yet that, effectively, is the pact that a brand makes with its employees. A brand has values; they have to mean something if the brand is
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