Starbucks Effect
May 1, 2005
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Starbucks Effect
Elizabeth Fuhrman
Managing Editor
Commuters in mid-sized communities from the Sun Belt
to the Rust Belt traveled an average 25 hours in 2003, up from 15 hours in
1993, according to the Texas Transportation Institute.
So I found it interesting to read a report on
MSNBSC.com about the “Starbucks Effect.” Nancy McGuckin,
a travel behavior analyst who used U.S. Department of Transportation data,
says the national craving for coffee may be adding mileage to the morning
rush hour. Worse, the numbers might be enough to complicate efforts to
reduce traffic congestion, fuel usage and air pollution.
McGuckin found that 1.6 million more Americans tacked
errands onto their commutes. With the growth during the morning commute, a
large number of men now join in, especially older men who devote more
morning trips to coffee and breakfast foods.
The “Starbucks Effect” is not only about
Starbucks, although the chain opened more than 4,000 locations between 1995
and 2001. Fast-food chains have catered to morning commuters since the
’70s. The author of “Commuting in America,” Alan E.
Pisarski, said that although these findings are noteworthy, he doubts
coffee-seeking commuters are accumulating much extra mileage since most
don’t drive far out of their way for coffee. However, he said, the
increase in errands added to commutes causes more congestion during peak
travel times.
Restaurants catering to the breakfast crowd usually
make sure they’re on the right side of the street for the morning
traffic flow. That’s why in some locations you’ll see two
Starbucks across the street from each other. Caribou Coffee, which sees 65
percent of its sales before 10 a.m., is also creating more drive-throughs
and simplifying menus to speed along morning commuters.
THE
LAST DROP
Hats off
While watching Giacomo sprint to a photo finish at the
Kentucky Derby, you might have noticed another prize on the sidelines: the
Grey Goose Derby Hat. Bacardi’s Grey Goose Vodka, a sponsor of the
National Thoroughbred Racing Association, joined forces with hat designer
Eric Javits to create a one-of-a-kind topper worn by “Sopranos”
starlet Jamie-Lynn DiScala at the Derby. The hat, signed by Javits, was
designed with 100 percent nylon horsehair in “Grey Goose blue”
with embroidered silk threads and paillettes. The Grey Goose Designer Derby
Hat was sold on eBay with all proceeds benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser
Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
“Sex and the City” sells
Bacardi USA Inc. hired “Sex and the City”
actress Kim Cattrall as the celebrity spokeswoman for its new Island
Breeze. Cattrall will appear in a series of print and cable television ads
touting the drink, which has half the calories of traditional spirits and
wine. The tagline for the advertisements will be, “Now you can have
it all.”
Great Scotch
The Dalmore Scotch, marketed by Jim Beam Brands Co.,
Deerfield, Ill., will be featured on the national television program
“Great Taste.” The show presents discerning consumers with an
in-depth look at the art, science and passion that go into creating this
premium whisky from the Northern Highlands of Scotland. The “Great
Taste” segment will include background and history of The Dalmore and
the distillery, an explanation of the distillation process and information
on how best to sample The Dalmore. The segment airs on Bravo, National
Geographic and regionally on local news networks throughout 2005.
Homebrew day
American Homebrewers Association (AHA), Boulder,
Colo., celebrates Big Brew on the first Saturday in May. During the event,
thousands of homebrewers and non-brewers from around the world united in
brewing the official recipes of Big Brew day and shared a simultaneous
toast at noon CST. Big Brew participants registered their brewing sites at
beertown.org. Last year, AHA had more than 2,000 participants at 160 Big
Brew sites that brewed more than 5,180 gallons of homebrew worldwide, an
increase of 54 percent from 2003.
Interactive advertising
Mountain Dew billboards in New York’s Times
Square offered visitors the chance to appear in the billboard. Passersby
were instructed to stand on an “X” across the street to create
an image that made it appear as if they had become part of a Times Square
billboard. The photos showed the subject either
guzzling a Mountain Dew or smashing a Mountain
Dew can into his or her forehead.
Brewery concerts
F.X. Matt Brewing Co., Utica, N.Y., will host Saranac
Thursday night concerts for its seventh year. Saranc Thursdays take place
from June 2 to Sept. 29 in the brewery’s outdoor beer garden, and
offer a variety of Saranc beers and soft drinks, Utica Club and Two Dogs
beverages. A portion of the proceeds from Saranac Thursdays is donated to
the United Way. With the company generating nearly $30,000 last year, it
hopes to raise $35,000 this year.
