One of my personal characteristics is taking an idea or cause and going with it. Sometimes this is a strength when I don't give up and keep digging deeper until I get enough information to form original conclusions; other times it just drives people crazy because I don't stop asking questions until they run out of the room screaming, BASTA!
Anyway, having popped-off the plastic lid on the question, "Will Starbucks open in Italy?" last night I had to google it. Two little words, "Starbucks Italy" and I discovered that this is a favorite blogging topic that has produced some really interesting and fun posts.
Here are a few, some in English by Americans, others in English by Italians (who are living abroad) and others in Italian (by Italians). The mix gives a wonderful overview of all aspects of the question. If you are only going to read one, click on Matteo Bittanti.
innovation zen A Bocconi trained, Brazilian innovation management and business strategy expert talks about the potential risks to Starbucks of landing in Italy.
Wandering Italy An interesting look at the big business machine behind the coffee king.
Starbucks Geek This is an Italian blog dedicated only to Starbucks!
Big Brother Blog
An Italian in London who wants to bring Starbucks back with him to Italy. In Italian.
Matteo Bittanti
Great open letter to the President of Starbucks by an Italian in California. Very funny and intelligent at the same time.
more from Matteo Bittanti
So, if you feel like digging deeper, the question is still open -- Will Starbucks open in Italy? The Italian point of view above gave some new light on the subject. The answer? Boh. I guess we will have to wait and see.
a domani,
E
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6 comments:
In Boston, Mom 'n' Pop hole-in-the-wall places I loved were replaced by shiny, overlit Starbucks. Hated it.
When they first came to Germany, I eschewed the chain.
These days, I do go in on occasion ... they seem to be the only place that offers really comfortable chairs for long evenings of working on documents or poring over texts. And they refill my tea (new hot water) a few times without balking.
Starbucks did seem to nearly single-handedly achieve the feat of convincing Americans to pay for quality coffee. They should have stopped there - what's the point of pouring flavored stuff into decent brew?
Thanks for the great links!
Just read Matteo's Starbucks post and all I can say is he prefectly summed up the situation. Very intelligent and substantial points!
I love the coffehouse experience- be it Starbucks or the mom & pop's place... it's the environment that i like and miss. unfortunately, i doubt a mom & pop place would ever be able to succeed in italy so i'm willing to welcome Starbucks!
pnpfOh, I hope they don't spread to Italy. I just visited a town here where there are 2 Starbucks. One right across the street from the other.They are expensive and their descriptions of their drinks drive me up the wall. If you try to tell them outright what you want they "translate" it into starbuckese.
Love the mention of needing an electric fence in Italy to keep everyone lined up haha
I love Matteo's post re Starbucks. He's right - while Italian coffee is very good, coffeeshop culture is very different. You gulp down your espresso standing up and then get outta there.
I agree that S'bucks will do well here - and I don't even like Starbucks.
Dear Larc,
I have never had a "Starbuck's Experience", so all that money spent on probing deeply into my psyche is a waste of human resources. Your article "Starbucked in Italy" is chilling, as it suggests what goes into selling a product today: turning it into an existential must we simply should not do without.
As long as we are speaking about coffee, I suppose it is worth a chuckle and try. Sounds like cozy fun. When it comes to other matters, the results can be devastating. I had the fortune of once knowing a commercial artist who participated in the launching of the revolutionary mini skirt way back then, when women were still proud of female thighs, and men too - a leftover of the fifties. The objective was to convince women to desire the hipness and modernity of excruciatingly thin adolescent male thighs, in order to flaunt the mini. The consequences are still with us.
Larc, thank you so much for the exposure you offer us. I admire the audacity this requires, and the tenacity.
REAL cool, sister!
Pat
Grazie per la segnalazione!
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