Monday, May 01, 2006

From mocha to movies?

Starbucks Films? Starbucks Book Club? They may not be too far away. The Business Day section of Monday's New York Times announced the coffee chain is looking to begin promoting books and movies as they have currently done with CDs.

The first film release is about a child and a spelling bee (did you wonder when the TBPAC tie was coming?) - Akeelah and the Bee, which stars Laurence Fishburne.

They believe the high level of trust their customers have in what they sell will directly carry over to these new ventures and they'll be able to use their brand and massive corporate apparatus to make themselves as a fixture of the entertainment industry. And while the company is controversial to some -- including those in Seminole Heights, many who still don't want a store in their area -- it was able to propel the Ray Charles' "Genius Love Company" CD onto the best-seller charts. The 6 million pairs of (bloodshot) eyeballs hitting those more than 8,500 locations daily in 30 countries provides a great marketing opportunity. No two ways about that.


Disclosure: TBPAC has a Starbucks connection, they are the official coffee of The Center and they are the title sponsor to our Expanding Horizons series. I've been enjoying the free joe handed out before opening night shows all season. Please don't send me any hatemail. I really like coffee.

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