Lady Gaga teams up with Starbucks, while Borders cuts ties with Starbucks-owned Seattle's Best

Borders is bankrupt and who knows how long the brick-and-mortar stores are going to be around, so take that into consideration before calling it a blow for Starbucks. Seattle's Best cafes had been a staple of nearly all of Borders' more than 400 superstores since the parties signed a licensing agreement in 2004. Read "Borders to end cafe pact with Seattle's Best" || While Starbucks is splitting with Borders, it is teaming up with Lady Gaga.

Comments

[I.Heart.Spirit]

Anyone successfully play today's clue? I was on my phone and didn't really know what to do with my clue from Shazam.

[Pike is pike..]

I.Heart.Spirit, do you know why they got rid of Spirit? They used some new restroom cleaner that's not Spirit, but it's still a red bottle. Do you know what the reasoning was?

[I.Heart.Spirit]

It's the same stuff. It (and a few other things) had their label changed because of the 'Starbucks Optimized Cleaning Program'.

[Legendarily Lean]

Nah-uh, it don't smell the same

[ILVSBUX]

I won a $10 starbucks e-card, with help from my son. I then helped someone else win the $10 card. It was a not an easy search you had to work at it. Thanks Starbucks it was fun.

[Ashley]

All I got from my clue was the same thing it's been telling me for the past several days, to check back on 5-19-11.

[Waltie]

What is this about clues?

[coffeemedic]

I think that this is just another mistake from a company that is failing to respond to the needs of its customers. I remember what was in the cafes of Borders before Seattle's Best and it was a low quality product that was akin to the lowest common denominator in the coffee retail industry. Borders should take a more long term view of the choice of ending this partnership.

[done]

Borders long term view is surviving through Q3 of this year. This will help them sell off some of the remaining stores without the conflict of the cafe contract.

[Coffee Soldier]

I saw about 8 people scanning the QSR clue today in my store. I was surprised they found it because it is so small. I had told all the baristas where is was incase anyone came in looking for it! I wonder if it will change locations next time? Id everyone store's clue on their banner? Apparently, the clues differ from store to store. I had one customer tell me we were his 3rd Starbucks stop today to get another clue.

[ncsm]

When is Starbucks going to stop coming up with these LAME gimmicks? Just focus on the basics--providing good quality food and beverages, at a reasonable price, in a fast and friendly manner. And believe me, they have a long ways to go in all of these areas!

[FormerManager]

A company who truly understands and embraces their brand identity doesn't need gimmicks. Starbucks is more concerned with keeping up the The Joneses than being The Joneses. It's sad to witnesses a once cutting-edge company succumbing to doing business like everyone else.

[erstwhile]

Oh get over it you partypoopers. This is just something fun for customers to do when they're in the stores. If you don't like it, don't pay attention to it. Easy as that.

[Pike is pike..]

What are you all pushing currently? Is Via done? No one has pushed it on me lately... What's going on? Is there another type of Via around the corner?

[livin' la VIA loca]

The USA Today story states: "For Starbucks, it's about trying to stay totally tuned in to the interests of its young but hard to reach demographic."

Umm, really? We can't reach that young demo? Let's ask the teens & college students in are stores every day and the gazillion who've "liked" our facebook page.

And this sounds so much like McD's Monopoly game...except of course not driving customers to stores for SALES to play.

[Coffee Soldier]

QSR codes are everywhere right now...I've seen them on TV and at Dunkin Donuts too...a quick google search shows that also these companies are using them...HBO, CK, CNN, Best Buy, Macy’s, Pioneer Speakers, among others. You may have seen QR codes in museums, classrooms, realtor signs, newspaper ads, posters, and even on TV.

I don;t really see this as a gimmick but getting onboard with the hot current social media item of the summer...like Four Square last year...no one cares about that anymore! QSR will be gone by next summer and the Bucks will probably have whatever is the new hot item of the time happening.

[Jeff Tom]

Seattle-ites - do not forget. Starbucks is giving away free tickets to various events every Friday (at 3pm) for the next few weeks. Tune into facebook for details.

[I <3 music]

It's funny that this happened in time with the crazy group that predicted the end of the world.

[inkedmuse]

i dont really see the big deal with the clue. although part of me hopes that when it is scanned at christmastime it says 'remember to drink your ovaltine'

@pike is pike
right now were pushing frapps and whats left of 3region, both of which sell themselves way over target without effort, so you get to breathe freely and enjoy the coconut. unless you go thru the drivethrough where i am required to ask you a whole list of things that will slow you down during your busy day. Thats def. my biggest issue with sbux right now. as an employee who actually LIKES the person taking my order, when i go thru drive thru im generally pretty irritated by the time i get to the window becuase all the questions (not to mention our half-functioning employees) make the grueling process of ordering a drink that i sometimes skip DT if i don't have a full 6-8 minutes to waste for waiting in line to order, pulling around, and then engaging in small talk that i don't care about. PLEASE STARBUCKS learn the difference between cafe and DT. thats why tim hortons is packed in the A.M. and we ARE NOT.

[Wannabe]

Customers wanted to rip their heads of after hearing 5 hours of this Madonna-wannabe. Sellout,,,,BARF!