Starbucks Starts Off 2011 by Dropping Its Name From Logo

Starbucks is beginning 2011 with a big bet that it will successfully become a complete product and lifestyle brand, not just a coffee brand. This move is illustrated by their new branding, dropping all remnants of “Starbucks” or “Coffee” text from their logo. All that’s left is the 16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed mermaid, more popularly referred to as The Siren.

This move by the Starbucks brand is remarkable one. While only time can tell if this move will garner positive or negative ramifications to the brand as a whole, the immediate motives may prove to be just as powerful as the long term. The move is bold in that the brand’s developers realized the worldwide staying power of their coffee, locations and branding, and decided to courageously take a shift in a direction that would allow them to more seamlessly integrate more products that are not coffee-related, without as much scrutiny. The idea that they are no longer just a “coffee brand” (and haven’t been for awhile) is now being solidified through this new look. Here’s a quick snippet of a press release they put out in regards to the name drop:

As we look forward to Starbucks next chapter, we see a world in which we are a vital part of over 16,000 neighborhoods around the world, in more than 50 countries, forming connections with millions of customers every day in our stores, in grocery aisles, at home and at work. Starbucks will continue to offer the highest-quality coffee, but we will offer other products as well – and while the integrity, quality and consistency of these products must remain true to who we are, our new brand identity will give us the freedom and flexibility to explore innovations and new channels of distribution that will keep us in step with our current customers and build strong connections with new customers.