Demian Repucci content

Starbucks, the ubiquitous jolly green giant of caffeine, has recently been pushing a new product called ‘VIA‘.  VIA are single serving packets and of instant coffee.  Just pour into 8oz. of hot water and you have made your own Starbucks coffee.  Evidently Starbucks felt they had to challenge Nescafe for a share of the instant coffee market.  Or their numbers were sagging so much that they decided to take wild bets with new product.

Well, I want to make a prediction about Starbucks VIA.  Here it is.

VIA will not last.

That’s my prediction.  Maybe it will hold on in Europe or Asia or something but I do not think it will work in the United States.  Why do I think this?  Well, the one thing that VIA does really well is that it strips the Starbucks experience right out of the coffee.  Why do you think millions of us morons pay ridiculously high prices for Starbucks coffee?  For the coffee?!?  Please.  We happily pay (and pay again and again) for the whole Starbucks experience.  It gives our afternoon purpose!  “I’m going to Starbucks, want to come?”  I now have meaning in my life!  And most of all we pay for the brand recognition.  The Starbucks equation works out to something like this:

Roughly 20 cents for the coffee and $4.60 for the obnoxiously big Starbucks cup it is in.

Unless the VIA crystals form into a green-logo-ed paper cup when you add hot water… I think people will wonder ‘what’s the point?’  Who cares if you can’t tell the taste from that of a regularly brewed cup?  Starbucks coffee isn’t the greatest to begin with.  If I end up drinking my Starbucks product out of my unwashed Dilbert mug that keeps getting lost on my desk… I might as well be drinking Nescafe.  No one has to know my dirty little ‘instant’ secret.  And at a fraction of the price, it would be the wiser choice.

Unfortunately, Starbucks VIA is a product that runs contrary to the brands core concept.  The Starbucks experience.  And when that is taken out of the mix, you are left with just another instant coffee.  I don’t think it will stand the test of time.

BTW… what is up with that UGLY red table in the VIA commercials?  It is a visual non sequitur.  Not to mention really bad design.