To brew or not to brew...Starbucks' brave new world

Someone at Starbucks might want to read a book or two about brand management.  It is a short book. In fact, some authors write only two paragraphs. The first paragraph is very simple: (words to the effect) "NEVER EVER do anything that weakens the perception of the brand, in particular, never ever ever dilute or confuse the main product".  VERY SIMPLY, don't futz around with something that is good and make it, in your customer's eyes, LESS GOOD.  Paragraph #2 is of course re-read paragraph #1 a few thousand million times and then, when you think you can go ahead and do it after you pretend that your product is your significant other and you are asking him/her permission to cheat on him/her and replace him/her with what could be termed an inferior product.

Instant coffee is a world unto its own. Read up on it some. Usually made with lower quality beans, the bitterness component is most usually cited. Starbucks says it is using good stuff. Notice they didn't say they were using great stuff but "good stuff"...that means in ad parlance that we are using something almost as good as....and that ladies and gentlemen is the issue....ALMOST.

AW BEANS