Hah: McDonald's Goofs on Starbucks

Attacking Starbucks where it hurts. Not on price -- but on image.

Another billboard slogan jabs, "large is the new grande." The two phrases are displayed on 140 billboards in Western Washington, some of them near Starbucks cafes.

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Will Starbucks respond in kind? Unlikely.

While the coffee wars received much media and Wall Street trumpeting this year, Starbucks has been mostly silent, maintaining that its customer base is different.

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Instead, it is fighting back in a more subtle way. Executives have hinted that Starbucks is taking the high road.

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"We're not going to get into that conversation. We're not going to get sucked into the, 'My coffee is better than your coffee,' price point type of coffee conversation. We're going to play at a much higher level. And by 'higher level,' I mean even more Dianna Krall songs covered by Annie Lennox."

I made up that last part.

I'm not sure if I really get McDonald's strategy. People aren't just buying Starbuck's coffee. They're also paying for the right to hang out for an hour or two on a nice chair, which McDonald's isn't offering. Plus, from my experience, Starbucks is a lot friendlier when they catch you masturbating in their bathrooms. Or on line, for that matter.

posted by Ace at 02:52 PM

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