The Changing Face of Starbucks

Required Eating

Posted by Emily Koh, April 9, 2008 at 6:45 PM

Starbucks logos

A) Engraving of a twin-tailed siren (15th century); B) First Starbucks logo (1971 - 1987); C) Il Giornale logo; D) Merging of Starbucks and Il Giornale (1987 - 1992); E) Redesigned Starbucks logo (1992 - today); F) Current Starbucks logo, a revival of the original

If you stopped by Starbucks the other day to try their new Pike Place Roast brewed coffee, you may have noticed the cup looked a little different, with the siren's tails displayed more prominently. Actually, this "new" design is a throwback to the original Starbucks logo, which is in line with CEO Howard Schulz's call for the coffee empire to return to its roots.

Brand Autopsy and Brand New both examine elements of the evolution of the logo. Here we present the entirety of the logo's history, from 15th century engraving, to its initial rendering, to the logo following the merger of Starbucks and Il Giornale, and finally, to its present-day return back to the original.

10 Comments | Tags: coffee, design, logos, Starbucks

10 Comments:

Wait, so F is going to be the new one? Hmm...I like E better. All these changes they're making!

Hillary
Chew on That

Chew on That at 6:10PM on 04/09/08

OH NO! Spread tails and cartoon boobies! Won't someone think of the CHILDREN?

adrockuw at 8:31PM on 04/09/08

I see it in a more ironic light. Starbucks seems to think that incorporating a redesign of its original logo, breasts et al, will return it to its roots. As roots go, however, I seem to remember being attracted to such things myself - from the ages of about zero to two. That is, before I discovered more serious eats. :)

Flinty at 11:03PM on 04/09/08

@adrockuw: I got a cup of coffee at Starbucks last night and no, the Siren's hair is covering up her nipples. Of course that was the first thing I checked.

modysoul at 8:07AM on 04/10/08

The final logo is like F but with the breasts covered with more mermaid hair.

Myszka at 9:35AM on 04/10/08

I hope they don't really use the phrase "Fresh Roasted Coffee" on their new logo. It's "fresh brewed" but it would only be fresh roasted if you were at their roasting plant. If I recall correctly they use a "sell by" data (the actual roast date it is coded but it is on the label of their bagged coffee) that is six months after roast date. Anything beyond 10 - 14 days past roast date is not fresh roasted.

phaelon56 at 10:17AM on 04/10/08

WHO THE HELL CARES???!!!!

RichardCrystal at 10:34AM on 04/10/08

"Fresh Roasted Coffee" as in fresh (brewed) coffee that's been roasted (since who knows when). Fresh is not describing the word roast.

tekna at 2:04PM on 04/10/08

call us immature but we were all giggling at work about "the new look" & it's um..err..umm..
"mermaid va-j-j."

bisbee at 4:49PM on 04/12/08

I once went to Starbucks and found one of those cardboard sleeves without the logo!!! Stupid me, I forgot to save it. :( I should have taken a picture of it and me in the store.

I suppose I'll have to try this new coffee to see if it's really improved. The logo does not make the coffee, though.

ChristinaINP at 2:08PM on 04/14/08

Add a comment:

Previewing your comment:

HTML Hints

Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>

Comment Guidelines

Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.

If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.