Dunkin Doughnuts beat Starbucks

During my morning visit to Dunkin Doughnuts, I noticed these two signs pointing to dunkinbeatstarbucks.com. I found the basics about the testing in their press release on the site:

An independent taste test of coffee drinkers across ten major U.S. markets shows a significant majority of participants preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks.

A&G Research, Inc., under the counsel of claims test advisor Al Ossip, conducted the taste test in May and June in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and Starbucks' home turf, Seattle. 476 adults, each of whom had consumed regular, hot brewed coffee within the past week, participated in this double-blind taste test. For the test, A&G Research used fresh packaged coffee purchased in each brand's stores, tested each brand's most popular flavor (Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend versus Starbucks House Blend), brewed the coffee using equipment recommended by each brand and served it black.

A&G says that the study results clearly indicate a preference for Dunkin' Donuts:

* Among all participants, 54.2% preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee, compared to 39.3% who chose Starbucks. 6.3% expressed no preference.
* Of those participants who did have a preference, 58% favored Dunkin' Donuts coffee, versus 42% for Starbucks.

CNN ad: 2008 7-Election coffee cup

CNN ad: 2008 7-Election coffee cup, originally uploaded by Mark_Baratelli.

Is CNN sponsoring this whole 7-11 7-Election campaign? This is the first time I've seen these branded coffee-huggers. CNN should make a Good sheet-like printed piece for 7-11 coffee buyer set. Random thought. But, if CNN thinks their audience is buying coffee at 7-11, why not go even further and give them some content with their coffee?

7-11 Obama McCain coffee cups

Found these Sept 23,2008 and forgot to blog them. I am doing so now after reading about Pulse of Orlando finding them this morning.

Nespresso cup spills digital details

OMG OMG OMG OMG (source)

Podcast Episode 25: 7-11, Video vs Audio, Live to DVD

Show Notes:
Episode 25, 5-30-08, MP3

1. Why is 7-11 not in the McDonalds/Stabucks/Dunkin race? They offer something the other three do not: make-your-own cup of coffee!

2. If you're going to podcast, do a video podcast then extract the audio and make an audio podcast. Make sure your ads fit both mediums.

Good Video-to-Audio Podcasts:
-Buzz Out Loud
-Cranky Geeks
-Diggnation

Bad Video-to-Audio Podcasts
-DL.tv

3.Going all the Hannah Montana on yourself.

Creativitity Podcast:
-Podcast on Itunes
-Podcast RSS

Barista: Latte and a Quarter Pounder to go please?

I wrote a post about Starbucks vs McDonalds then sent the link to a Barista friend for their thoughts. They start by describing watching that 3-hour video tape. I think they offer some excellent insider views.

Latte and a Quarter Pounder to go please?
by Anonymous Barista

3 hours...to learn again. Focus: The perfect espresso shot, the perfectly steamed pitcher of milk, and "legendary" customer service. It sounds great. It was great. Personal, in-depth, uplifting. Everything Starbucks is and is striving to become
again.

While I think it was a good experience. I don't think it will drastically make changes company wide. There is just to much room for variance.

Ohhh but changes we shall have. In my heart I would like to think that the changes we
see in Bucksland were not in fear of direct competition from the McLatte. In my heart I would like to think that they don't stand a chance against Starbucks, what with our
great atmosphere, great (mostly) partners, and quality beverages we will not see any decline in customers. In my heart I would like to think that Starbucks is and always will be the McChampion.

But...my heart tells me that I think wrong. Subtle changes are being made, and it's not making the news. You will notice. Colors will change. Wages will be challenged. Rumor is MCLatte will be offering a dollar more per hour in my neck of the woods for "previously trained" Baristas.

I think it is a whole new world for Starbucks corporation and no one is really sure what to do about. They are all sitting around a table pondering, what's next? what can we do?

Cheaper, easier to acquire, novel. That is what McLatte has. Starbucks is old news to a lot of people. And when Mr. Triple Venti Vanilla Latte crams his gas guzzling Dodge Ram in for a quick biscuit and finds that the latte is just as good and a dollar and a half cheaper, he's sold. Now, when the kiddies want to play in the fungus slides while chompin' on some nugs, he can sip his latte and surf Men's Health...all without blinking an eye.

Starbucks..bah...it's just that place where the college kids do their homework now. It's gotten dirtier, what with the cut in labor due to less customers. It's not as tempting.

I love my job and hope in the future that I get to keep it. We have excellent customers and excellent partners.

We just need to find a new "excellent" to sell.

Photo Credit: Neurosciencemarketing.com