The Starbucks Documentary...

Bon Journo Friends & Family!

Well, we are certainly having a busy week here in the world of news and politics (Laugh if you will, telling you, Hollywood is the center of the universe that controls the masses)...

Despite the negative and unsettling divorce news dominating news headlines (Amazingly this is considered newsworthy), we have good news, we may have settlement in the Actor's Strike, and new announcements of the arrivals of a few darling celebrity babies.

And, speaking of babies...This leads perfectly into the topic of today's Blog...My coffee! True, today's muse is not particularly related to our subject of television, but read on...

Do You Drink Coffee?
Just as millions, I enjoy a cup of "Joe" every morning (Albeit half-cup) - really, I prefer the smell over the taste.

My guess is that you probably drank more coffee over the past 10 years, than you ever have in your entire life....Thanks to Starbucks.

Last week, Starbucks made a monstrous announcement that they were intending to close a total of 600 stores over the next year. This was apparently a major news event in which the local media here in L.A. decided to send a reporter live to the scene of the local Starbucks to get up-to-the minute patron reaction (At 4:30 PM in the afternoon, mind you).

Wait, Wait, Time for a Smack-Down...
I rarely ever watch local news (Due to a low-to-no negative information diet that I actively maintain with the help of others around me), however it was brought to my attention by an associate (We have eyes and ears on the streets and see and know everything...And, people think that I am ominous, funny I just cannot imagine;).

Anyway, according to the on-the-scene reporter/pretend financial expert, "Starbucks is realizing that in the down economy that people just cannot afford to spend $4 for a coffee and is therefore closing stores.", said reporter turned market expert. The 'analysis' by said reporter is one of the primary reasons as to why I do not waste time watching local news: Ill-conceived conjecture.

Well, if said reporter would have spent time conducting research within the Investor quarterly report, rather than hanging out at the local remote Starbucks location, he would have discovered that the announcement has little to do with how much people choose to spend on a coffee and is a decision more related to the balance sheet of the company and well being of the shareholder value.

My point, local news reporters should stay out of financial reporting and leave such to the experts who can provide real information.

Tall Drip, Room For Cream
Besides Britney Spears, I enjoy coffee at Starbucks. Not really because they have greatest coffee, investment reasons, or because I need to meet someone - For me, it is tradition.

Everyone that knows me has heard my Starbucks story and I will share briefly with you.

When I was just out of high school, my best friends and I traveled for a weekend to Seattle in the early 90's. After a few nights of carousing, we were hanging out at Pikes Place Market - it was raining and cold (Of course). We ended up in a little coffee shop called Starbucks Coffee Company. We ordered coffee all around (Which incidentally, was not termed with their famous nomenclature of today) as we were planning our next sight-see.

Now imagine, it's cold, raining and here we are inside nice and warm and the coffee arrives. We are talking, planning and as we are drinking this coffee, I interrupt the conversation to announce to my friends that the coffee was really good and that I had never had a coffee quite like this before - my friends totally roared in laughter. To which I maintained, "There's something special about this coffee". I actually finished the entire cup (For the first time) and purchased a cup to take with me, upon leaving. My friends thought that I was way over zealous about a mere cup of coffee and proceeded to chide me about my excitement for the Java.

Well, this little coffee shop grew up to become THE largest chain coffee store in THE WORLD, in just a few years after my vehement revelation that one rainy Saturday afternoon.

Strangely, I have many stories just like the above and admittedly have an unusual talent for discovering amazing concepts long before they become mainstream, which I refer to as a vibration (No, 'tis not based on scientific experiment, market research, demographic sampling, dynamic focus groups or elaborate customer profiles).

Having said, I have remarkably done this over and over and over with different ideas, companies, products, and services throughout the 90's and into recent history. I have made money, lost money, and made money all based on feeling.

Indeed there have been failures and not all have been monumental success stories (After Dotcom); however there have been enough grand slam home runs to prove my power and let's just say that now, when I get excited about something - you better believe ALL of my friends ALWAYS listen!

Back To The Documentary Part...
When I was in film school in 2002 (Then living in Seattle), I had the brilliant revelation that I wanted to make a documentary around Starbucks.

Basically, at the time I recalled hearing something about 6,000 new stores being the initiative. Suddenly, I felt largely guilty for encouraging Free Market Enterprise and contributing to 'Hyper-Mega-Net' corporation.

I had hoped to make the documentary, because I felt that it was almost borderline ridiculous that there was a Starbucks on practically every corner of Seattle. You could literally cross the street and what do you know, another Starbucks.

One step further, I thought it would be an intriguing experiment to visit Starbucks in every major city around the world and speak to the patrons about their experience in hopes of finding a common thread. Of course, how could one tell such a story with a balance that would not sound like a promotional tool, nor spiral into an environmental, civil rights campaign?

The project is currently on hold (More pressing work awaits), but I would love to read your thoughts...My coffee is getting cold...