First they started with music and now they're moving into moving into books. They're taking over the whole world!
Starbucks will further transform the way customers discover quality entertainment options by selling and encouraging discussion of the new novel "For One More Day" by bestselling author Mitch Albom.The nationwide promotion will begin October 3, 2006 and will include a special event on October 26, 2006, "Starbucks Book Break," encouraging meaningful conversations about this literary work in select Starbucks Company-operated locations in major markets across the country.
Starbucks marketing support will include in-store signage and an original video conversation with Mitch Albom, which will be offered beginning in October 2006 via the Starbucks Wi-Fi welcome page at more than 4,800 stores in the U.S. and online at www.starbucksbookbreak.com. Starbucks is contributing $1.00 per copy of "For One More Day" sold, with a minimum contribution of $50,000, to benefit Jumpstart, a national non-profit early education organization in support of literacy.
"Mitch Abom's new book is only the beginning of many exciting literary projects we will offer to our customers in the future as we look to transform the way our customers discover and acquire quality books," said Ken Lombard, President of Starbucks Entertainment.
In any but the largest SB locations, my feeling is that the merchandising has become excessive. I have to snake around table after table of specialty mugs and cookie collections before I order and be careful not to knock over the CD rack as I step back to wait for my drink. The chair back slip covers "reserving" the seat for a character from the current movie promotion was perhaps the last straw for me. I understand the drive to increase same store sales but the coffee house or "third room" experience is being destroyed by the clutter and "noise" of too much marketing and product competing for attention.
Posted by: Norm Johnson | November 10, 2006 at 06:05 PM