For the Love of Joe: The Language of Starbucks
By Constance M. Ruzich
As a self-professed coffee junkie, I an attest to how a slow “cup of Joe” is better than a mere quick fix in the morning. Starbucks is commonly known as the company that built itself one cup at a time. The company’s culture is infused with specialty coffees and the complex factors that constitute a way of life.
Looking back, coffeehouses were shut down in the sixteenth century as coffee was condemned as a stimulant for rebellion, gambling, and sexual perversion (Ruzich, 2008). By the eighteenth century, the cultural views for the pleasurable drink began to perk up. Nicknamed “penny universities” for the cost of a cup of Joe and stimulating conversation, more than two-thousand coffeehouses dynamically launched the specialty coffee movement. Identified in the nineteenth century as an international commodity, coffee has become the nationalistic drink of choice, and the second most valuable trading commodity in the world (Ruzich, 2008).
The driving force in history enlightens the influence of the coffee experience. Expanding, the must-have drink has become a component in our culture by creating patterns of behavior among communities of people. Furthermore, the cup of Joe is becoming a tradition with a specific flavor. Highly dependant on consumption of goods in a culture, Starbucks heavily relies on the discretionary spending of consumers. Starbucks doesn’t stratify the consumers according to social or economic standing; hence, there is no upper class, middle class, or lower class – just the “cup of Joe” class. Rather, the company stratifies its consumers by “taste”. This taste culture bases their choice as a result of personal and emotional reasons. Influenced by the factors of home life, peer pressure, and emotional attachment, coffee is associated with some type of pleasure.
With current annual global sales estimated in the billions, Starbucks has unlocked the romance and mystery of coffee by exposing the social aspect (Ruzich, 2008). Described by the company’s founder Howard Schultz, Starbucks can be described as “an extension of people’s front porch” (Ruzich, 2008). This extension creates what the article refers to as the “third place”, a place away from the daily grind of the workplace and the narrowness of being in the home. (Ruzich, 2008). The company portrays the “A good old place” like your own front porch, attempting to associating coffee with a much needed break from traditional days.
It is not the easy chairs, the soft jazz music, or the café lattes that draw consumers to Starbucks’ coffee shops, but rather the crafted use of language that encompasses the manifestations of love full circle (Ruzich, 2008). Beyond the purchase of a super-dose of caffeine, consumers are reaffirming pop cultural passion. Popular culture appeals to our senses, and the caffeine links it with a “jolt”. The tone for gourmet coffee has become seductive and exotic, triggering the feeling of comfort, self-indulgence, and relaxation (Ruzich, 2008).
The socially acceptable addiction stems from the creative, carefully crafted language that evokes romance, relationships, and self-expression. Starbucks has become a household word, despite their lack of reliance on traditional advertising (Ruzich, 2008). Full steam ahead, the company has become a “word-of-mouth” wonder for encouraging consumers to envision their favorite coffee choice as an extension of their own unique personality (Ruzich, 2008).
Reflecting, Starbucks’ use of language appeals to more than just a craving, the Java shops encompass the language and social experiences designed to foster the feelings of personal enrichment and the desire for human connection (Ruzich, 2008). All the while, they are able to convince consumers that the “good life” can be purchased, and the inspiration is served daily!
Reference:
Ruzich, C. (June, 2008). For the love of Joe: the language of Starbucks. The Journal of Popular Culture: 41, 3, pp. 428 – 442. Retrieved on May 17th, 2009 from http://0-journals.ohiolink.edu.olinkserver.franklin.edu/ejc/issue.cgi?issn=00223840&issue=v41i0003
