When one thinks of the Golden Arches and the Twin-Tailed Mermaid, immediately negative images of globalisation spring to mind – images of a soulless power aggressively taking over the world.
That image is exactly what Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive of Starbucks, loathed about his global multi-billion dollar company. In Onward, he documents how he steered the brand away from just such an unflattering position.
In 2007, as chairman of Starbucks, he wrote down his dissatisfaction with the brand in an email to the then-chief executive. It was titled “The Commoditisation of Starbucks”; in it, he spoke of small details such as the new bulky espresso machines that prevented the customer from seeing the barista, or the lack of coffee aroma within a Starbucks store, that together erode away “the Starbucks Experience” in the pursuit of aggressive growth.
Unfortunately, that extremely personal email was leaked on the internet and went viral within hours, pushing Starbucks on an accelerated downward slope until it reached a point in 2008 when all 7,100 US stores were simultaneously closed with a sign on the doors reading: “We’re taking time to perfect our espresso.”
This book tells the honest tale of how the brand bounced back and of Schultz’s dream to create a communal, comforting “third place” to relax after work and home. From Starbucks’ tragic fall to its victorious comeback, Onward inspires and invites discussion… perhaps in your local coffee shop?
Alisha Haridasani
