I really think Starbucks became popular in part because of all the celebrities shot by papparazi drinking Starbucks.

Britney used to be ALWAYS photographed drinking a frap and you can always see the Olson twins carrying Starbucks and loads of other celebs.

Carrying a Starbucks became a sort of "fashion accessory", like a purse. I am totally serious.

Some people think they "look cool" when they are carrying Starbucks.

This is the REAL reason why Starbucks got so big :

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/3...scelebsea2.jpg

A lot of people follow their favourite stars everyday on all sorts of forums and blogs and everytime they see a celeb carrying a Starbucks it reinforces it that it's cool. Starbucks is basically getting free advertising.

Not many people can afford a $2,000 purse like Lindsay Lohan or a pair of $700 shoes like all the celebs but everyone can afford some Starbucks...

If you have a product you want to become popular, if you can get someone like Lindsay Lohan get caught by the papparazi using or holding it or wearing it, the next day thousands of people will rush out to buy it... Seriously.

its trendy and one of the first of its kind. personally i like coffee bean better

I forgot to post, above you see Britney, Nicole Richie, DJ AM, Jessica and Nick, Olsen twins, K-Fed, all drinking Starbucks.

addictive drugs :2 cents:

Also, I was just reading on another forum where they were saying that for young people in college they also like to carry around a cup of Starbucks as a type of fashion accessory.

I guess to some people it's really something that makes you "look cool" like you "fit in."

I am absolutely serious when I'm saying it's a fashion accessory. Especially when so many celebs are SO OFTEN photographed holding a Starbucks.

I think the Olsen Twins kind of started it. They were photographed daily holding Starbucks. A LOT of people follow the Olsons daily because of their fashion/style and I think the Starbucks think got more popular cause of that. They are considered fashionistas now.

I witnessed this firsthand on a style forum...

It's all about the atmosphere. It's not a coffee shop, it's a hangout. If you provide the right ambience you can charge whatever you want for your product and people will pay it.

The steak in a 5 star restaurant doesn't taste better to me than a steak from outback, but the price is triple or more in the 5 star restaurant.

Same principle here.

They are building one near me in BFE. You know they're dominating the world when they sell it here in no-where-land. :helpme

Damn, I didn't know they bought out Coffee People here! That explains the bordered up building near my office. Sucks when someone is so big, they just buy and close the competition. How long until they buyout Peets (the guys to trained Starbucks). I call Anti-Trust shenanighans!

hmm, starbucks, starbucks - doesn´t that sound like a sponsor name ? :)

And it'll be pretty busy too.

I always feel so intimidated to order there because I always feel like I have said something that is insanely stupid.. like when a girl is watching a hockey game and they score and it was a nice 'touchdown'... slightly embarassing.. so i usually end up getting whatever is new or on sale because i can point to the picture of it.

Starbucks is a virus. There's 88 in Vancouver (not counting the burbs) and I have to pass 8 on walking to the bank then the gym. My boycott is 3 years and running :)

Simple.

By getting rich using under-developed nations. I drink lots of coffee so I like to know where it's comin from - search google for "fair trade coffee" if you want more info. Down with starbuck$! :)

DV

You charge someone extra.

People think that something expensive is elite.

Look at cars.. There are a few cars out there (LOTUS for example) that should be $28,000 but are $50,000 because they look cool.

In reality it is nothing but an expensive Toyota.

Couse they have a huge promotion through glossy magazines!
And that movie: "Devil wears Prada" - also Starbucks theme in it.

The original owners didn't sell coffee, they sold beans only. And then they sold their company in 1987.

I'm not saying they just blew up recently, I remember in the 90's they started their conquest to take over the world and got huge fast.

toffee nut lattes.

Bingo was his name, oh! :thumbsup

:thumbsup

Paul McCartney just signed for their music label - the big sellout