A Novel Approach to Reading: In Defense of the Lowly Book

May 22, 2012 Leave a comment

IPads and Nooks and Kindles have gotten more than their share of PR and media coverage.  There has been a press battle among them with press releases flying fast and furious.  And the media campaigns are working.  They’re selling.  These e-reader devices are fine for reading magazines.   I suppose they could be okay for reading some non-fiction books.  But when it comes to reading fiction, there I firmly draw the line.  It’s not so much that I’m a Ludite in this arena; it’s that as a reader you lose so much of the essential reading experience when you shift from a book to a shrunken computer.  There is a certain romance to reading novels that supersedes merely looking at and digesting words.

I’m an admitted novel junkie.  I cannot go to sleep without reading for at least half an hour.  And it has to be a novel.  Reading non fiction or current affairs as I lie in bed only serves to agitate me.  With a novel, I can blissfully drift towards Morpheus.

But I am getting ahead of myself.  Before I find myself lying in bed lost in strange and foreign lives and worlds, I need to choose the book.  Here too, I admit to being old school.  I actually go to bookstores.  Not only do I go, I do so with the same enthusiasm as a five year old goes to a toy store.  It’s an outing, an experience, an adventure.  I never know what I’ll find and seldom go with any particular book in mind.  I browse, pick up the various books, study the covers, and touch the pages, read some pages; it’s a totally sensual experience and not simply a visual one.  You touch books, feel them.  Books have a scent.  You can read them aloud and make it an experience that touches all of the senses.  Reading novels is not simply about the words, but about the experience of choosing, holding and being engulfed by a book.

If the focus is on how many volumes you can carry in a particular device and how quickly you can read a particular book, I’d say you’re losing a good deal of the joy.

There are people who like to figure out the most practical and least time consuming ways to eat; people who have shakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  They get their nutrients, their calories, but, at least from my perspective, they’ve lost quite a bit in that bargain.

And that is not unlike what I fear we’re losing when it comes reading.  It’s meant to be a sensual experience.  The focus is not supposed to be on transferring information from a machine into your brain.   The physical book, with its specific size, layout, cover, graphics, font and paper, is all a part of the total experience.

I suppose it’s an experience that is losing ground, as e-books and various pads and devices flourish.  Oh, well, I hold on to my book mania.  Plus, at least on my end, I really don’t have much of a choice.  You see, I often fall asleep while I’m reading, drifting off as I’m lost in a novel.  And, there are times, when said book falls from my hands to the floor.  This isn’t a constant occurrence, but it’s happened often enough.  And my novels, being the sturdy troopers they are, take the plummeting and live on to fight another day.  They neither complain, nor do they break.    Now think of me lying in bed reading my IPad and having it tumble onto the floor.  Disaster!  Reading would become such an expensive pastime; I wouldn’t be able to afford it.  No, I’ll happily stay on the sidelines in this e-reader revolution and stick with the romance of my books.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Tew, Sarah. “Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad:…”  Photo. CNET. 05 12 May 2012. 21 May 2012. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738-1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/>
Carr, Austin. “Twitter Stats Reveal How the iPad, Nook, and Kindle Stack Up.” Photo. Fast Company. 11 Jan 2011. 21 May 2012.  <http://www.fastcompany.com/1716018/how-the-ipad-kindle-and-nook-stack-up-on-twitter>

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EXTRA! Buffett Buys Newspapers: Maybe Newspapers Aren’t Quite That Dead

May 18, 2012 Leave a comment

Berkshire Hathaway, perhaps best know as Warren Buffett’s company announced a deal on Thursday to purchase 63 newspapers from Media General.  Berkshire will be purchasing more of MEG’s daily and weekly newspapers for $142 million in cash.  Buffet’s statements on May 5 seemed to be heading him away from the newspaper business, which he described as an industry that was “declining” and one with “Problems”.  He then went on to say that generally it was best to stay away from declining businesses and that that’s not where they make real mon

ey at Berkshire.

But Buffet obviously still thinks there’s value in newspapers.  I think the secret here is that the focus is mainly on local and regional papers, where people still find a good deal of their information.  That’s where traditional journalism can grow and thrive.  It’s almost like a return to the early days of newspapers where all news really was local.  The internet and the cable new stations pretty much have a lock on national stories.  That’s a hard place for newspapers to compete now at days, but local stories and information can still keep newspaper journalists buzzing.  The local newspapers will have to be creative to remain competitive, but the death of the newspaper might have been greatly exaggerated.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

 

 

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Breast Feeding & the First Gay President: How Time & Newsweek Are Riding the Social Media Train

May 14, 2012 Leave a comment

The news magazines controversy wars are going at full steam.  Time got out of the gate first with its May 21 cover, featuring a rather defiant and somewhat uncomfortable looking Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her three-year-old son, Aram.  In the photo, Aram is standing on a chair and feeding on her exposed left breast.  Not your everyday magazine cover.  But it wasn’t meant to be.  The image had more impact than the article, which accompanied the photo; which is exactly what Time intended.  The web erupted with praise and criticism; and the social media stir accomplished the decision, makers at Time, were hoping for. Celebrities jumped in; Alyssa Milano and model Joanna Krupa began to Tweet about it and the social media frenzy was off to the races.   It drove more readers to the site, where they had to pay to read the full articles.  The traditional media had a heyday with the cover which, in turn, caused an even bigger sensation on the various social media fronts

An article in the Los Angeles Times explained that Time’s editors ran the controversial photo and article to mark the 20th anniversary of Dr. Bill Sears’ book on the topic.  According to the article, the book helped “power the movement for moms to establish deeper, and more prolonged, physical bonds with their children.”  That is all true, but the purpose of the cover photo was to cause a sensation and drive sales

Not to be outdone Newsweek’s cover May 14th cover declares Obama “the first gay president,” with a story by writ

er Andrew Sullivan.  With Tina Brown at the helm, Newsweek has recently a number of controversial covers, but here the envelope is being pushed with a vengeance.   The cover, which shows President Obama with a rainbow halo above his head, comes days after Obama’s statement that he is personally in favor of gay marriage.

The article draws parallels between the isolation felt by many in the homosexual community and Obama’s struggle to fully discover and assert his racial identity.  But again, the image and the tag were less about the article and more about the marketing.

As with the Time breastfeeding cover, it is the Newsweek cover photo and tagline that will be remembered and that will cause a stir.  Here, the major news magazines, which have taken tremendous blows during the past few years, primarily because of the internet, are now utilizing the power of social media to sell magazines.

It’s an interesting irony and in a way marks a bit of a 180 turn.  The traditional media using the tremendous power of social media to market it wares.  This is indicative of how public relations, social media and the traditional media have in a sense all melded into one.  You can no longer separate one from the other and, if as a marketer you fail to see that – you lose.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Martinson, Jane. “Are you mom enough?’ … Time magazine Photograph: AP”. Photo. The Guardian. 14 May 2012. 14 May 2012. < http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2012/may/14/breast-best-row-time-magazine?newsfeed=true>
Harrigan, Matt. “Newsweek cover calls Barack Obama ‘the first gay president’.” Photo. Syracuse.com. 14 May 2012. 14 May 2012. <http://www.syracuse.com/have-you-heard/index.ssf/2012/05/newsweek_cover_calls_barack_ob.html>

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“Bully” and the MPAA PR Dilemma

April 3, 2012 Leave a comment

“Bully” opened in a limited release on Friday, leaving theaters to decide whether they should let underage teens in or not.  Harvey Weinstein chose to release the film without a rating after loudly and repeatedly objecting to a controversial decision by the Motion Picture Association of America to give the film an R, which means anyone 17 and under needs an adult with them to get in.

Weinstein has brought his objections along with his army of celebrity supporters to magazines and talkshows, but the MPAA refused to budge and the R rating has stuck, which the Weinstein Co. argued would bar its target audience: teens.

“Bully” is said to have received the R rating because in one scene a bully uses profanity.  If sticking to the letter of the law is its sole purpose, the MPAA is doing its job, but at what cost?  The kids who could most benefit from this film are being locked out.  And why, because of language they hear every day on the playground by those very bullies being documented.  The Hunger Games, a film about kids sent to hunt and eat other kids, ended up with a PG rating.  Go figure.

To quote a recent article by AO Scott in the New York Times: “There is little swearing in the movie, and a lot of upsetting stuff, but while some of it may shock parents, very little of it is likely to surprise their school-age children.” Whose sensitivity does the association suppose it is protecting? The answer is nobody’s. That organization, like the panicked educators in the film itself, holds fast to its rigid, myopic policies to preserve its own authority. The members of the ratings board perform a useful function, but this is not the first time they’ve politicianed us.”

By sticking to this decision, the MPAA is doing irreparable PR damage to its own brand.  It is presenting itself as a dated, archaic system.  “Bully” on the other hand is generating more buzz and PR than it ever could have without this controversy.  Harvey is doing his PR magic.  He and the legion of star power champions of the film are garnering more exposure for the film than any marketing or ad campaign could buy.

Regardless of the rating and the controversy, “Bully” is an important film and one that should be watched by kids and parents.  The problem is how to get the kids to see it.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Allocca, Dave. “Lee Hirsch (left) and Alex Libby.” Photo. People. 02 Apr 2012. 03 Apr 2012. <http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20582921,00.html>

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The NFL’s PR Dramas

March 26, 2012 Leave a comment

Last week the NFL was able to muster more PR coverage than it generally does during the height of the playoffs.  Last season not only was Time Tebows’ jersey the number two selling jersey in the league (you’ll have to look up number one); his story captivated a good deal of the season media coverage.  Tebow was covered on nearly every media outlet.  YouTube was filled with videos of people throughout the globe hitting the famed one knee Tebow stance.  For many who had just a passing interest in the sport, Tebow not only was football, he eclipsed football.  He certainly was the main topic of conversation in Denver.  He was their quarterback and was bringing Denver back to its glory days.  Well, what a difference a few months makes.  Tebow is now a backup quarterback in New York and Broncos are Payton Manning’s team.

The Denver quarterback drama wasn’t that hard to figure out.  It would be difficult for a team to pass on one of football’s best quarterbacks for one who is learning the robes and has so many question marks.  The real drama was in San Francisco, where Alex Smith, who nearly took the 49ers to the Super Bowl, discovered that for several days he was in the same position that Tebow was.   Yes, he’s back with the Niners.  But considering how his team was flirting with Peyton Manning, it will be hard to go back to things as usual.  A three year, $24 million deal helps to ease the pain, but still, it can’t be easy to know that the powers that be were that close to letting him go.  True, Smith isn’t Manning, but last season much was made of how, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh backed Smith at every turn and stated that Smith was their quarterback for the long haul.  At least until a Peyton Manning shows up.  But Manning goes with Denver, Smith stays in San Francisco and who knows what anyone really feels.

The NFL certainly received more than enough media coverage during the Manning frenzy.  It was PR heaven for the league.  A perfect film scripted media relations blitz.  The same can’t be said for the other high profile NFL story that buzzed through the media.  The New Orleans story was more of a PR nightmare than a public relations dream.    On Friday, Saints coach, Sean Payton offered an apology.   In Payton’s first formal statement since the NFL announced his season-long suspension, he explained that he took “full responsibility” for the bounty scandal that led to unprecedented league sanctions against the New Orleans Saints.

Still there are also PR benefits to the Saints bounty story.  Although initially it can be seen as a media relations black eye, the league acted quickly and decisively.  The penalties handed down deliver a clear message that the NFL will not tolerate bounties. The severity of the penalties is unparalleled and media-wise that works in the NFL’s favor.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

“Petyon Manning Tim Tebow.” Photo. Fan IQ. 21 Mar. 2012. 26 Mar 2012. <http://www.faniq.com/blog/Peyton-Manning-and-now-Tim-Tebow-Blog-45962>

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To Sheen or to Tebow: The Celebrity PR Dilemma

March 16, 2012 Leave a comment

Just when you thought the Charlie Sheen saga couldn’t get any stranger, Fiat and Direct TV enter the picture.  The newest commercials for the Fiat 500 Abarth and Direct TV showcase the actor who now is perhaps best known for having the mother of all public meltdowns, at least it appeared to be a meltdown.  Looking at it now it might just be the newest PR and media relations strategy for actually “winning” product endorsement deals.

Yes, the actor and warlock Charlie Sheen has emerged from the ashes in a big way. The ex Two and A half Men star has reemerged as a commercial hit.  Perhaps this marks traditional advertisings full embracement of celebrity train wrecks as marketing tools.  Reality TV has used that formula for years now.  In the formula, the most obnoxious one is the biggest celebrity. The train wreck is the one who lands all of the publicity.

It’s hard to deny that these ads are funny, but what’s interesting is to try and figure out what they say about us and our culture.  It’s as though Superman’s Bizarre world came to life in front of our very eyes.  Forget the celebrity with the wholesome or upstanding image, now advertisers will fall all over themselves in search of nasty, disagreeable, noxious.

The DirecTV spot, illustrates how a personal encounter with Sheen happens at the end of a downward slide into ruin which comes about as a result of having regular cable TV.  In the end Sheen and the protagonist are in military gear play-acting scenes from Platoon. In the Fiat commercial, Sheen hoops and hollers and spins in his Fiat Abarth around the inside of his mansion. Later, while Sheen, wearing a fitted suit and ankle bracelet, exits the car stands next to model Catrinel Menghia, and grinning up at a cheering crowd standing on the balcony above him, cries out: “I love being under house arrest!” Not that Sheen has ever actually been under house arrest, but by now most people probably think he has.  Is this the Resurrection of Sheen?  Was “winning” more a prediction than a boast?

When Fiat was questioned as to why they decided to go with Sheen (who many would have viewed as a commercial liability) Olivier Francois, who also serves as Chrysler’s chief marketing officer explained:  “The Fiat 500 Abarth is the bad boy of the Fiat vehicle lineup, and Charlie Sheen personifies the edgy and fun attributes of the Fiat 500 Abarth.”

Who can argue with that? Not that wholesomeness and apple pie are complexly off the radar.  Tim Tebow represents the counterpart to this Sheen PR strategy.

Tebow is the Heisman Trophy winning former quarterback of the University of Florida Gators. Tebow who lead the Denver Broncos into the playoffs.  Tebow is known for his trademark one knee prayer stance.  He was followed through his senior season by a film crew, which produced the “Chosen One”. A one-hour documentary that looked at Tebow’s football career, work ethic and family life.

Both celebrities are now household names and both have now become verbs.  When in doubt celebrities now have a choice, they can either Sheen or Tebow.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Thompson, Rebecca. “Americans want to live next to Tim Tebow, not Nancy Grace, Charlie Sheen.” Photos. Landmark Report. 16 Mar 2012. <http://landmarkreport.com/rthompson/2012/01/americans-want-to-live-next-to-tim-tebow-not-nancy-grace-charlie-sheen>

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The Rush Limbaugh Effect

March 7, 2012 1 Comment

Fox’s Don Imus slammed Rush Limbaugh on Monday for what he called a “lame apolology” after his “vile, personal attack” on Sandra Fluke.  Imus went on to call Limbaugh an “insincere pig” and “pill-popping pinhead,” for his “sustained, personal attack” on Fluke.   Not that long ago Imus was fired for his infamous “nappy-headed hos” remark.  Life’s interesting, isn’t it?   Limbaugh’s comments sparked outrage among many, including seven advertisers who have since pulled from his radio program.

PR-wise this could be a nightmare and not just for Rush.  The bottom line is Limbaugh is not a politician, or a statesman or a journalist.  He’s an entertainer; something he generally only mentions when he finds himself in hot water.  The trouble is that both the media and the public seldom see him as an entertainer.  Both tend to give him the importance of someone who carries the weight of an elected official, as someone who represents the Republican Party.  And that’s where the real PR and media relations problem comes in.

In this particular case, when Limbaugh chose to shift the dynamics of a political debate between the two parties by launching a personal assault on a woman who is neither an elected official, or a member of the media, he, in the eyes of many did so as a spokesperson of the Republican Party.  That might be far from the truth, but in this case, the sins of the pundit can fall on the party.

It’s true that media pundits on both the left and the right have launched some vicious and vitriolic attacks that they should be called to task for.  It’s also true that a number of these attacks have been leveled against women with such terms as sluts, whores and prostitutes being slung about with little thought of the damage they cause.  These are statements that should be repudiated, but they seldom are.

And here is where the true PR land mine rests.  Politicians on both sides of the aisle allow these political entertainers to do much of their dirty work for them.  The pundits do the mud slinging while the politicians smile and look the other way.  But there can be consequences that come from such snug arrangements.  Just as a celebrity spokesperson can tarnish a product and brand by using racial or sexist language, or by ending up in a drugged stupor on national TV, this can also happen to political parties.

But here the damage can actually be deeper.  A celebrity is generally only the face of the product; pundits are often the mouthpiece as well.  Because of their reach and their access to the public, they often become more identifiable than elected officials.  They are thought to embody a point of view, a political ideology.

Media and PR-wise, these entertainers can become even more powerful than those who have been elected to hold public office.  They generally have a pretty nice arrangement; they can make huge amounts of money and generally have very little accountability.  But that can be a dangerous game to play.  If suddenly a political party is damaged by the words of a pundit, things can shift and do so dramatically.  Something the talking heads on both sides of the aisle best heed.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

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The (Remarkably Successful) Marketing of Doom and Gloom

February 28, 2012 Leave a comment

We are constantly fed heavy doses of doom, gloom and predictions of Armageddon.  It’s true that we have enormous issues and problems that we daily have to deal with on a personal, social and planetary level.  Wars, hunger, disease… I could come up with a pretty formidable list that would make the most optimistic among us cringe.  The media loves bad news because pain, horror, shock and drama sell.  As the old media adage goes: if it bleeds, it leads.

But does this perspective and outlook really define life as we know it.  Are we truly all going to hell in a hand basket with no upsides?

Let’s look a bit more deeply.  Since 1900, the life span has doubled.   Average per capita income worldwide has tripled. Technical developments in the field of medicine have offered new ways of viewing the body and its cells, greatly improving the ability to diagnosis.  Antibiotics were discovered; and new vaccines, drugs, and therapies developed.  Computerization of health and medical research has enhanced the study of disease and health hazards. New surgical techniques have been developed including transplants and keyhole surgery.

Programs of population-wide vaccinations resulted in the eradication of smallpox; elimination of polio in parts of the world and control of measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and other infectious diseases in the US and other parts of the world.

Safer workplaces have resulted in a reduction of approximately 40% in the rate of fatal occupational injuries.  There are countless other statistics that could be added to the list of how things have improved in such areas as technology, transportation, communication, agriculture.  Whereas we have a long way to go in the area of human rights, we’ve made amazing strides in the areas of women’s rights, children’s rights and minority rights.

We actually have quite a bit to be thankful for.  The trouble is we get lost in our own personal struggles and when it comes to the big picture, most PR, media relations and marketing campaigns focus on what we lack and what’s wrong in our lives.  

A look at political campaigns gives us a great window into how things work.  The majority of the messages are negative, divisive.

The sad fact is that stories based on fear, want and lack not only up TV ratings and magazine readerships, they also get us to buy, so that’s where most marketing dollars go.   If that’s primarily what we pay attention to then that becomes our focus. The negative becomes the prism through which we see our lives.  So, our job should be to broaden our focus.  Yes, there certainly is more than enough doom and gloom out there and there is a heck of a lot of work to be done and obstacles to overcome, but that’s simply one aspect of life.  If you only put the negative into the equation, that’s all you’re going to end up with.

So, I won’t end there; according to a recent article, since the start of the twentieth century infant mortality has decreased 90%, and maternal mortality has decreased 99%, and poverty has declined more in the last 50 years than it did in the previous 500 years. That is pretty cool stuff.  

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Thomas Jr., Landon. “Trader head in hands.” Photo. The New York Times. 10 Aug. 2010. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/38635990/Armageddon_Sells_Permabears_Now_Becoming_Cool>

SnoShuu. “Be Grateful.” Photo. New Hampshire News. 18 Nov. 2010. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nhpr.org/post/socrates-exchange-what-gratitude>

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Apple’s PR Nightmare

February 9, 2012 Leave a comment

Recently Apple reported one of the most incredible earning results on record.  In the last quarter of 2011, Apple made a $13 billion dollar profit, meaning that the company more than doubled its earnings in the same period in 2010.   This is amazing news for the company, a true business and PR coup and yet if you were to do an internet search for Apple during the past few weeks, its earnings would most likely not be the story you’d be reading about.

According to several news reports, investigations into the conditions of Chinese workers have revealed the deplorable conditions that workers labor within to produce the seemingly ubiquitous iPhones and iPads.  Until very recently few knew the human suffering involved in the creation of this uber-cool, “must have” devices.

The research that was carried out by NGOs revealed alarming allegations of draconian workplace conditions at two major plants in southern China.  The investigation offers a disturbing look into the lives of the approximately 500,000 workers at the Shenzhen and Chengdu factories.  The factories are owned by Foxconn, a huge firm which produces millions of Apple products each year. The report accuses Foxconn of treating workers “inhumanely, like machines”.

This story is not completely new. Nor is this problem specific to Apple; Foxconn also helps build electronics products for other brand names including Amazon’s Kindle and Microsoft’s Xbox.

But Apple has been the main focus in these stories, causing the company that Steve Jobs built to have lost quite a bit of its luster.  In the U.S., owning an apple device is a status symbol; the products are cool, hip, cutting edge.  They are products that help define the user.  People proudly display their iPhones and iPads and often look down on those poor mortals who own anything else, as inferiors.   Apple has worked hard to define a lifestyle, a point of view, a sense of creativity and thinking outside of the box.  One would have hoped that the company would have thought outside the box in its approach to manufacturing.

So what should Apple do now?  From a PR or media relations perspective they should act and act swiftly.  They should take responsibility, define in concrete terms how they are going to rectify the problem, do it in a transparent manner, and then actually do so.  This is a problem that can be solved and needs to be dealt with; it is not one that can be swept under the carpet.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Palis, Courteney. “A woman checks her cell phone while…” Photo. The Huffington Post. 07 Feb. 2012. 08 Feb. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/07/ipad-trademark-china-apple-proview_n_1260741.html>

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Starbucks’ Spirited PR Gamble

January 25, 2012 Leave a comment

A Big Mac along with a glass of chardonnay?  Who knows?  That could be on the way.  Starbucks is heading in that direction.  The chain will soon be selling beer and wine in select locations.  Four to six stores in the Southern California area will offer alcoholic beverages by the end of this year, as will some stores in Atlanta and Chicago

The chain began testing its new spirited approach in Seattle in 2010. Starbucks now offers beers for $5 and wines by the glass for $7 to $9 in five locations in that city and one in Portland, Oregon.

The questions are: what will this move do to the Starbucks brand? And how will customers have to change their habits in order for it to pay off?  Currently the chain makes most of its daily sales by 2 p.m., which explains the foray into the spirit business.  On the other hand around 75% of Starbucks customers are there for take out.  That won’t work in the beer and wine business.  These customers will have to say and enjoy their beverages in-house.  And what about the kids and teens that have made Starbucks one of their staples.  Will mom and dad be happy sending their kids to a beer and wine establishment?

If this were Europe, there would be no issue.  There families are used to going to pubs or cafes where coffee, food and spirits are sold.  But, the U.S. isn’t France or England and we generally have a different take on where liquor should and shouldn’t be served.  And what happens when a Starbucks barista has to 86 someone?  What will be the protocol for that?

Starbucks has built an amazing worldwide brand.  It has regularly changed its menu offering different types of drinks and food items, but a jump into the world of beer and wine is a big one.  Adding a new pastry, sandwich or fruit drink does not risk compromising the chain’s brand, but offering a happy hour where sprits flow freely will challenge the way many of its customers view the company.

Only time will tell if this gamble will pay off.  Because it directly impacts their brand recognition, it could either turn out to be a PR miscue or a public relations homerun.  Chances are it will land somewhere in the middle.  Since they are only experimenting with a handful of stores, if the publicity effect is extremely negative, they can quickly shut the program down.  But if the reaction is simply lukewarm, or only somewhat negative, they will most likely give the news stores a fair shot and launch a media relations campaign extolling the virtues of this new approach.  If it works, it could become a one stop shop for buying one’s stimulants in the morning and depressants in the evening.  The next big question could be, how are they going to get people to leave?

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Sato, Kiichiro. “Starbucks’ alcohol menu being tested in a handful of shops in Seattle and one in Portland, Ore., includes Rogue Dead Guy Ale, a Pinot Noir from Oregon, a Prosecco from Italy and a Malbec from Argentina. Above, a Starbucks in Chicago. ” Photo. Los Angeles Times. 24, Jan. 2012. 25, Jan. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-starbucks-beer-20120124,0,5910879.story>

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