Starbucks: Branding

Origin of The Name Starbucks

The name Starbucks was chosen by the three original founders of Starbucks who opened their first store in Seattle, 1971. The name comes from the novel Moby Dick and was the name of the chief mate sailor on the Pequod. The three founders were looking for a way to capture the seafaring history of coffee and Seattle’s strong seaport roots and this is why they chose the name Starbucks, which they felt symbolized the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.

Starbucks original logo 1971-1987

Logo

Starbucks' first logo was designed in 1971 around the original nautical theme inspired by the story of Moby Dick. The logo depicts a 16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed Mermaid, or Siren. Mermaids often represent somewhat of a mystery. Mystery mixed with the nautical theme is exactly what the founders were looking for. Starbucks believes the mystery of the mermaid invites all of us to find what we’re looking for, even if it’s something we haven’t even imagined yet.

Starbucks logo 1987-2010

Starbucks logo 2010-Present

Although the Starbucks logo has undergone some minor changes over the years, they have remained consistent in keeping the mermaid as the central theme of the logo. Starbucks believes that the mermaid is the heart of the organization, reminding them of their heritage and reminding them to imagine and push for something greater.

The Color Green

When we look at the Starbucks logo we will notice that the main color is green. Green is a color that represents nature and balance. The Ancient Egyptians believed green was healing to the eyes partly because the color is easy to look at. The elements of the color green are consistent with elements of Starbucks' mission to nurture the human spirit, by providing a third place between work and home (Balance) where people can meet for conversation and that gives a sense of community.

Analysis of Brand

Starbucks has had great success with their brand strategy. They have a unique name and logo which entail some symbolic qualities and create an emotional connection with the product (Use of color green, mermaid which represents mystery and name which symbolizes romance of the high seas and seafaring tradition of early coffee traders).

The Starbucks brand is bold, stands-out (contrast between green and white and use of all caps) and has become a highly recognizable brand name, not just in the coffee world. The name Starbucks is also very easy to say. The company has avoided major rebranding and has remained authentic by sticking to the original ideas and themes which work around an unifying idea, and which reminds the corporation of its mission, vision, values and heritage.


Today when you think of Starbucks, you think of quality coffee, a social hub, a place to meet, a family friendly environment, an inviting place... All these things are proof that Starbucks is living out its mission, vision and values. The name and logo represent more than just coffee, it represents a personality, a corporate image of success and achievement.