When people think of coffee, they think of Starbucks. The Starbucks Corporation has existed since 1971, when the first store opened in Seattle, and continues its phenomenon into the 2000s with over 15,000 locations worldwide. (Starbucks Corporation, 2009) In 2006, “Starbucks was ranked fourth among the 'World's Most Influential Brands' by Brandchannel.com” (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2008). The physical appearance of the Starbucks brand can be attributed to the mermaid logo that hangs outside stores and is printed on all the takeaway cups, coffee mugs, coffee bean bags, and other merchandise they sell. The mermaid logo has evolved over the years and is currently depicted as a green circle with the words STARBUCKS COFFEE and a cropped image of the "more attractive stylized mermaid" (Deadprogrammer's Café, 2005) than depicted in the original logo Starbucks in the past. 1971. This logo is an important part of Starbuck's advertising because it does not participate in conventional advertising techniques such as television and billboard ads. Starbucks President Howard Schultz believes that experience actually beats advertising and that “the store experience defined the brand” (Holmes, 2001). People go to Starbucks because they know they will receive a great cup of coffee or other beverage, high-quality customer service, and an inviting atmosphere. Meghan, I really enjoyed your article on Starbuck. I was so surprised to learn that it has been around since the 1970s. It is very clear that “brand awareness” (Kotler and Keller, 2009) has been a very effective marketing strategy for this company. Surprisingly, it was never through mass TV commercials like Dunkin Donuts, but through other forms of advertising (word or mouth, etc.) that truly made this brand popular. The Starbuck executive also understood the importance of social media in keeping the brand identity alive, noting the link between “social engagement and financial performance” (Rubel, 2009). Starbucks has also marketed this brand very well, as by now everyone has heard of or seen a store in their neighborhood. I have to admit, I'm not a die-hard loyalist who buys a cup of coffee every day because it's too expensive.