Starbucks displayed its new logo March 8 in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
The green ring surrounding the Starbucks mermaid is now gone, leaving only the symbolic mermaid creature.
According to a video that Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz recorded
for the coffee house’s website, the new logo represents present day and future
changes. He explains that the world, including Starbucks, is revolutionizing.
This is the fourth change to the Starbucks logo since it originated in Seattle in 1971. Back then, the simple logo with a brown ring around the twin-tailed mermaid called a Siren symbolized the company.
Schultz further explains in the video that the evolution of the logo’s look is very important. It presents Starbucks’ background
and develops it to a point where the company feels it is prepared for the future because of its modernization.
Starbucks believes it is responding to the public’s demands by adding new perks to their stores for customers such as free wireless Internet, baked goods and new drinks.
“The Internet is really cool because I know a lot of people who like to work on school assignments in Starbucks,” senior Molly Shutt said.
Along with the new logo comes the removal
of the phrase, “Starbucks Coffee.”
“I was so used to the words so it’s weird to see the change, but overall I really like the new logo,” freshman Dinali Weeraman said. “It’s a lot more modern looking.”
With the arrival of a new logo, some may wonder about the origins of the brand name “Starbucks.”
According to an online company profile on the Starbucks website, the franchise is named after Starbuck, the first mate in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and is inspired by a twin-tailed Siren
from Greek mythology.
Even though the logo is always changing,
Starbucks’ new symbol doesn’t seem to turn away old fans. Shutt orders
the same drink every time.
“I get a triple grande skim no foam latte,” Shutt said. “At Starbucks in the Village and Cabin John, they know that when the weather is warmer I like it iced instead. They get me through the day, and that’s all I care about.”