I ask myself this question every time I deliberately pull into a long Starbucks drive-thru line: is this grande Chai Tea Latte worth it? As much as I would like to say that it is, the question poses a solid argument. Why, if the lines are long, the product is expensive, and drinks are often half-full, do millennials and Gen-Z-ers, like me, willingly return to Starbucks again and again?
I am an avid Starbucks drinker, enthusiast, and all-around supporter. In fact, for this post, and all of the following, I am fueling these evening writing sessions with… you guessed it: Starbucks coffee. The challenge is as follows: I will try a new drink for each post and write about my take on the footprint, or influence, of Starbucks on different parts of American teen culture and identity.
Today I am drinking a Chai Tea Latte. This is my absolute favorite drink from Starbucks. But, mainly I picked it because of Bayley Cook’s survey of ten different girls’ favorite Starbucks drinks.
A friend first introduced me to this drink because she enjoyed the way it was coffee, but it didn’t taste like coffee. Why she would spend upwards of five dollars on a coffee drink that doesn’t taste like coffee highlights the phenomenon of Starbucks’ cultural footprint and the impact of social image on American teen culture.
Starbucks has found a way to market to those who want to feel like they belong. It has become an identifier for groups. Proof of this is the “typical white girl” meme to the right. Its distinction of “typical white girls” as being generally recognized by the Starbucks brand shows the association of Starbucks with American teen culture.
But how did this begin? According to Rachel Hennessey’s claims about the three reasons Starbucks remains king of the coffee industry, the number one reason Starbucks is still in business is that it is inclusive. Through their drinks, they appeal to both coffee lovers and those who can’t stand the taste. The company markets itself as hip and trendy, two things teenagers aspire to be.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the ease of access to a Starbucks, or the presence of Starbucks in social media, as Jeff Froom mentions in his post for Millenial Marketing. Most cities have at least one Starbucks with more opening every day. But the amount of franchises doesn’t seem to equate to a brand’s success. Rather, a brand must master the market of social media. Starbucks did just that.
To prove this, think about the last time you saw a post centered around a Starbucks drink. Or, go back to a time when you saw a Starbucks reusable cup floating around campus or your town. It probably wasn’t that long ago. The logo is immediately identifiable. Moreover, the store itself associates with wealthy, city-living, “real” coffee drinkers through its advertisements and store ambiance.
This mastery of social media, of accessibility, and of the feeling of belonging is what makes the Starbucks brand so unusual, yet so successful. Ultimately, it is what makes the brand so appealing to young people.
Daniella Wiener-Bronner, in an article for CNN, captures the essence of Starbucks’ cultural footprint. Starbucks is a place made for hanging out and for being included. The lines are long, as shown by the image to the left, because Starbucks has been molded to represent us. People take ownership of their experiences at Starbucks. And, they feel as if they are truly part of the crowd (the lines would suggest that they are, in fact, part of a very large crowd).
I think this can be summed up by my own Instagram post from December 23, 2014. I aspired to be the “typical white girl,” the “real” coffee drinker. Indirectly, for me, at least, Starbucks represented the image of the life me, and most teen girls strived for.
Starbucks has become the empire it is today through the power of image and identity. Because of that, I will continue to spend the money, brave the infinite lines, and post the pictures of my drinks because I like who people think I am when I drink Starbucks. I think you do too. And that might just prove that Starbucks’ cultural footprint stretches far wider than just inside its stores.
With my last sip, ’til next time.