For those of you keeping track, "Akeelah and the Bee" took in $3.37 million over the weekend

After the Starbucks-hyped movie grossed just $6 million last weekend, Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz told the Seattle Times: "I think this movie is going to have a long tail to it." It appears he's wrong. The film has to be considered a disappointment and Starbucks' marketing muscle has to be questioned at this point. Now when I walk into a Starbucks and see all that "Bee" paraphernalia, I think: "Why is Starbucks still embracing a loser?" I'd clear out the junk ASAP. (Yahoo Entertainment)
> The best movie America isn't going to see in droves is "Akeelah"

Comments

[Bill]

Hahahaha! Serves him right! This is what you get when you overhype something that's mediocre at best...it's like the Chantico all over again! Fire Jim Donald or else Starbucks will bleed it's reputation and finances to death. Hahahaha! "I'm Lovin' It!"

[Nickie]

Why are you so interested in the distruction of Starbucks?

[Bill]

Because it has caused stress, anxiety, financial hardship, physical illness and injuries, making unreasonable demands, while forcing its workers to think nothing but Starbucks even when they're not working. My former ex-co-workers and I still talk about Starbucks all the time to this day, because how much it has brainwashed us all. We're just thankful that we're out now, because it was more of a burden than anything.

One thing I will never forgive Starbucks for was the time they forcing a worker in my store to work after being sexually assulted while walking to work for an opening shift...that was totally BS. I ended up rushing to work to cover for the girl, who was traumatized and crying her eyes out. The management said that due to the volume of customers, they couldn't let her go until she found someone to cover for her because they were understaffed already. I later called the Business Conduct Hotline only to be dismissed due to the fact that "Starbucks is still a business, and it cannot jeopardize the company's profits by briefly closing down the store or changing break schedules because someone had to go."

How heartless is that? Nickie. Just think about it. And no, I'm not advocating for the destruction of Starbucks, but rather for it to follow its original principals that seem to be lost now - coincidentally with the arrival of Jim Donald for Wal-Mart.

[exSFbarista]

Bill, seriously, go start an "I Hate Starbucks" blog or something if you're so obsessed with them.

Starbucks doesn't brainwash anyone, and if you spent all of your off-duty hours thinking and talking about the 'Buck, that was your choice to do so.

It's a business and like anything else where fallible human beings are involved, it's not going to be perfect. You learn to accept that and live with it, if you're a normal, well-adjusted person.

Maybe you should try to get that chip off your shoulder and go get a life instead of posting your spew here all the time.

[coffeeguy :)]

Honestly Bill not all stores are the same and there are still starbucks out there that follow the treat your employees right idea.

Those that don't your right need to be looked after. But that's not your job. You claim to be Starbucks brainwashed but really it seems to me that no one is forcing you to be obssesed here today but yourself.

If you have a grudge that's fine but go take it up with Starbucks offices and the courts. Random people on the internet don't want to hear your rants that are not relevant to the topic at hand.

Now then to the topic at hand:

Personally I'm accually pretty happy that this movie didn't go through like they wanted. It was a good film but I know a lot of us felt like Starbucks overstepped it's boundries on this one.

Seems they were right.

[Nickie]

Bill,
One of the greatest thing about the nternet is that anyone can say anything.
I fibd your story very hard to believe.

[SBXGRL]

I saw the movie, and loved it. I'm sorry that more customers didn't go to check it out. I thought it was well done, and the message was clear and strong. I applauded at the end.

[Alice]

Wait until the DVD comes out. Seems clear that it will be sold in the stores, and there's always a lot of money there. Maybe that's what Howard meant with his long tail comment. Personally, I'd like to see less focus on movies and more on beverages and tasty treats.

[guillaume]

yes, Akeelah and the bee was a bit over advertised, but come on, this was a big move, sponsoring movies for the first time. Just wacthed that movie tonight, and must say it's worth the hype, truly inspirational! and i've been a barista for a while now, and totally love it, working there has perfected my people skills. it's almost like having a second family! so back off starbucks haters!

[Barista to the Stars]

Bill --

Really, get over it. Starbuck's owed you nothing but a paycheck for as long as you worked for them. The fact that the company chooses to go above and beyond and offer great benefits to part time employees is a blessing for many of us. But it doesn't negate the fact that the bottom line is that it is a business designed to make money. And if there comes a time that it is no longer profitable to do so, they will terminate those benefits as so many other companies have.

The beauty of it is -- you, and other employees, owe Starbuck's nothing. Work there for as long as it suits you then quit.

As far as the bee movie goes, I wish it would have done better. It seemed like a sweet movie with a good message. Certainly a better way to spend 2 hours than the horribly overhyped MI III.

Barista to the Stars

[Andrew]

The bee movie was one of the best movies I have seen in years.

I don't understand how Starbucks was overstepping it's boundries or forcefeeding the movie to customers.

i saw some ads on the windows in the form of little postits and some coffee clutches with some vocab words on it but i don't feel offended or that the "starbucks experience" ever broke down?

I think it was a great movie and will probally go off to win some awards like everything else starbucks does

[James the Barista]

You know, it was a gamble to promote a movie and heck why can't they take a risk now and again, every new drink, promo and pastry is a risk they take. What harm can it be? Its something to buzz about, small talk about. Then again, lime green gets on your nerves.

Even if I was brainwashed by starbucks, thats alright they are giving me FREE money its called stock? Hello? Thank Starbucks.

Every Starbucks is different, every district and region is different too...I'm sorry to hear about that story Bill, but I do find it hard to believe because its called labor, health and moral law for a reason.

You know the phrase "Don't hate the player, hate the game" I rather "Hate the player, not the game". I don't hate you bill but seriously now you have been scarred by a horrible store which happens. I'm sorry to hear your stories but what are you doing to BETTER your world?

[Bill]

James? What am I doing to BETTER my world? Well, I'm here aren't I? I'm here on this website to open your eyes to this company that we all worked at, or are currently employed by. I'm just trying to bring awareness to the fact that this company seem to do more talking than walking, and too many of you are just eating up all the corporate propaganda that they're feeding you. James, if you're statisfied with working at Starbucks for ever, that's fine with me, but just keep in mind that the company has been heading in the wrong direction since I left. You also mentioned that it would be ok for you to be "brainwashed by Starbucks" if they were giving you "Free money" in the form of stock, where are your values? Even if you use the 10% sip and the 4-year vesting beanstock (I would never stay that long anymore seeing how the company is slipping now), that money would get you what? A nice TV? I'm sadden by the fact that people in financial hardship (I'm making an assumption base on the average wage of Starbucks' employees) can be bought out by money to promote a company that has gone down the tubes, ethically. This is almost comparable to kids that join a religious cult due to the fact that they were handing out ipods.

James and Nickie, that story is true, documented, and has numerous witnesses. In a addition to that case, I personally experienced another business ethics violation at my store when I was told to stay until they could get someone to cover my shift before I was able to join my fiance, who was going into labor. All that happened almost one-year to the day. Where's the ethics here? James, and the rest of you that still work at Starbucks - open your eyes! There's a reason why there are countless ex-Starbucks baristas out there. Not all of us left because a better opportunity was out there, but because of the fact that it contridicted and challenged our sense of ethics - our sense of what's right and what's wrong. Wake up!

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster]

Bill -- You're off-topic in several different areas on my website. You've told your story, now please don't repeat it over and over. STAY ON-TOPIC. I *really* don't want to have to block you from posting, but....

[Bill]

Webmaster,
Keep in mind that I'm simply addressing question that others are posting, so if you want me to so-call "stay on topic," please be unbias in your approach and make sure that everyone gets the message. If you're simply going after me because I have a different opinion, it's a sad sad blog you have here.

Different opinion? I'd block him. I welcome different opinions but i do not welcome negative rock throwers that just want to hate on the bux.

[Bill]

This is what I'm talking about! I always have to reiterate points because obviously so people don't get the message around here! And there we go, this dude just went off topic even more and you, Webmaster, expect me not to respond to personal attacks like that?

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

Bill, I feel very sorry for you. I understand your position because you had these great ideals for Starbucks. However, unforunately Starbucks has become as perverted as Michael Jackson these days. Hopefully, one day, Starbucks will be brought down just the same. But until, then, I will work slowly and quietly in Starbucks working towards that glorious day of wrath!

[coffeeguy :)]

quite frankly bill you never seem to accually want to discuss the topic at hand. You just throw rocks and give rants about the company in no way related to the movie or the new drinks or any of that.

If you want to tell an anti starbucks story that's cool we get it. But enough is enough your turning a lot of topics into a fight.

Were here to talk about the topics at hand. Stay on topic please or leave.

Sorry I know the webmaster said it but you are really starting to get on the nerves of everyone. It shows.

[Javajockey]

Bill, face it...calling us stupid and brainwashed is not the way to go if you're trying to get us to agree with you. We think one way, you think another...let's just agree to disagree, and you can go away like a nice troll.

[Funky Chicken]

I wonder if part of the reason the movie didn't do so well is because there was a may-as-well-be-identical movie called Bee Season out a couple months ago. Same crescendoing music and slight sepia tinge and heartwarming commercial edit, if about Jews instead of African Americans. And if you saw Spellbound you saw real emotions instead of conjured up fluff.

Plus, dudes, it's spelling. How much spelling are we expected to take?

[barista chica]

i come to this blog to find out things that are happening with my company, not for it to get constantly blasted by some shmuck. you post how much you hate starbucks in every entry, be it about frappucinos or the movie promotion. i'm sorry that happened to your co-worker, but it came out of NOWHERE in a completely unrealated post. get a life, bill.

[RC of strangeculture]

I've actually been really surprised it didn't do better...

i guess people indulge in mocha frappachinos (mom's who stop by after dropping their kids off at private school) aren't the big voting block of what movie people are going to see that weekend.

--RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com

[CuteBarista!]

not to mention the documentary "spellbound" came out fairly recently as well...

i haven't seen "Bee Season" yet, but man, the book is amazing.

barista chica why the heck would you come here to find out what is going on in your company???? does your store not have a communication specialist???? good god

[matty]

saw the movie loved it

[barista chica]

i didn't mean important things going on, just little tidbits and to hear what people have to say about it (like whether or not new drinks are good, if the movie promotion is a good idea, etc.). anything important, of course, i learn though my store.

[SBUXGRL]

I posted earlier about the movie, so I'm back to post about Bill. I love Starbucks, so I like coming to websites like this one that post articles and solicit informed, intelligent opinions. Your opinions are neither informed, or intelligent. You are a simply a ranting flamer that is obviously not welcome here. Why do you go rant on a blog that cares?

[theBlackApron]

Bill.... you're full of it. Considering that a Starbucks offers all their emplpoyees as a "free" benefit counseling, and would also have paid that employee for up to 12 weeks while they redjusted, um, you're making it up. We had a stored robbed at gun point and they proivded trasnportation via cabs and shuttles till they felt better. The entire store was probably offered support and counseling on that.

And the movie is remarkable! We had an employee screening and I went supporting it not thinking I'd like it, and I was very moved. Outside of Starbucks, the movie has had little promotion, and I think it will do very well on DVD. It's just a great feel good film. I can't wait to see it again. You see an entire community uplifted by one girl's dream... go see it!

[starbucks lover]

This is my first time visiting this site, and I don't understand why someone (Bill) would go off on a completely unrelated rant when this topic is supposed to be about Akeelah? Granted, that's a horrible story (honestly I find it so horrible that I hardly believe it to be true), but aren't we talking about the movie here?

I saw it, and loved it. Everyone should see it, I bet come Oscar time everyone will be kicking themselves.

[4]

The whole Bee campaign seemed a little off. Why they didn't market the movie like they market everything else (as a service) is a mystery. Stickers on the door, coasters, magnets -- that kind of marketing seems more McDonalds than Starbucks. I think they would've done better with some kind of "Starbucks Movie Club" that offered original movie criticism, online discussions and discounts to customers. In short, they did little to connect the false-intellectual environment of their coffee house to the blatant promotional crap they pasted around the store.

[QC Latte]

Ya know, the one thing about the promo I did like were the coasters. Our customers are habitual napkin grabbers, and having the coasters has helped us reduce that waste. Of course, having a team with five bartenders on it, coasters were a natural hit for us ;-)

So we were looking at them. Round. Hmmmm, what else is round? Oh, yeah, the Starbucks Logo! I would love to see logo coasters become a regular thing. Our tables are cleaner, our napkin use is down, Oh, eudaemonic day!

...er, um, sorry. That just slipped out...

[TG]

i thought one reviewer got it right when he called akeela "a black Afterschool Special that was a bad fit with Starbucks". definitely a kids' movie, makes you feel like you "should" see it, which does not = "want to see". it seems like the biggest loss goes to the young woman starbucks hired to be a hollywood liaison. i read that she'd originally tried to develop akeela herself, unsuccessfully, before scoring the gig at starbucks. whereupon it's the first project she chooses. and it fails commercially. at some point, you gotta say "uncle"

[this space for rent]

I have not seen the Bee movie and I doubt I will, but I wonder how much better it would have done if SBUX had spent all that marketing money into giving away free movie passes to create a buzz, rather than clutter up stores with all that advertising. Or perhaps they could have given away free Frappucinos for people who came in with movie ticket stubs. (Then you'd have the problem of people mugging children for their ticket stubs outside the theater. But I digress.)

And to whomever suggested it, I second the idea of SBUX coasters. If they're made right, I think for the most part, people would leave them on the tables like they do at British pubs. In fact, anything SBUX can do to be more like a British pub is a plus.

[QC Latte]

Hey, This Space.

I agree on the pub! Heck, there's one song on a way too often repeated playlist that has us all pining for a pint as is.

The promo coasters are as good as many I used in my bartending life, and have held up admirably over this promo. So much so that we still have a sleeve or two left because the old ones are still working just fine.

...and while I was thinking of it in terms of waste reduction, I like your train of thought better!

[jay]

One complaint I have with the whole campy Akeelah promo, and one which will keep me from ever going to see it, is the same one that I'm beginning to have concerning several companies: the notion that I need to subscribe to a 'message' that's attached to their product.

If I want to be preached at, I'll go to church; read a 'self-help' book; watch Oprah or Dr. Phil or some other crap like that.

Just sell me your good coffee (Casi Cielo has been my favorite) without the rain-forest, organic, "you're helping to save the planet", "fair-trade", "over coming the odds" etc. garbage.

[jabanga]

my store took down most of the akeela and the bee promotional stuff down but many stores still have it all up even though it has been completely pulled from all theatres around here. it is not showing anywhere.

[BaristaGirl]

The Akeekla promotion was actually a lot of fun! I know we got a chance to talk to our customers more, it was an easy converstation starter. When the words first came on the cups we kept telling our regulars to "learn their word" and then we would give them definition cards. It was fun. My only wish would have been for the definitions on the cup sleeves. The day the movie came out we had a blast. We had a few partners walking around with the words that were on the sleeves..asking our customers to sell them (we used the regular sleeves that day on the cups so they couldnt cheat). If you got it wrong you got a free Green Tea Beverage, and if you got it right you got the GT beverage and put into the raffle to see the movie, which was an awesome family movie. I cant wait for the DVD, but the promotion made it a little easier to start conversations, I dont think it invaded the "third place" feel of the store.

[Liz]

I was quite skeptical of the Akeelah marketing blitz and thought that the plot synopsis made the film sound cliched and treacly. But I saw Akeelah this last weekend and honestly... I think you have to have a heart of stone to dislike this film. Keke Palmer is a great young actress, and the story manages to be truly inspirational (despite the many obvious plot cliches). I'm honestly scratching my head trying to figure out why more people haven't seen it, especially given the Starbucks media barrage. Tell your friends to see Akeelah-- the world needs more movies like this one!

[Jim]

I saw the Bee movie this weekend. I filmed it in the theater with my Handicam since I was sure it would never make it to DVD. I loved it. I took a copy to work the next day and my boss and I played it for waiting customers(We were packed). None of them complained. One customer stayed in line the entire movie drinking a total of 45 cups of coffee before I sold him a bootleg. The movie may have been a flop at the box office, but I made 300 bucks this weekend selling my counterfeit DVD's as promotional coasters for people who hated the film. Moreover I think this movie taught me a valuable life lesson, It's not what you do in this life that makes it all worthwhile, it's how much money you can spend on a headstone.

[barista in love]

uhhh. that might be illegal lol

wow.....grabe ang ganda nya!!!!!!it's very inspiring story........

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