Design - The Coffee Wars

The Success of Starbucks

Bon Appetit Magazine

I consume more coffee than any other product on the planet and even though I am not a fan of Starbucks, this ad is a great demonstration of why the company is successful.

The first thing to draw me in was the Gestalt theory of figure/ground relationship employed by setting the cup against empty black background. It created the illusion of depth and dimension that focused my attention on this yummy product and forced my eyes to want to find what else is going on in the ad.

Then I noticed the use of line which was not only effective in separating the two sides and different products it also leads you to the bottom of the page and the familiar logo. But the best part is the innovative design that uses the line to reveal an inside flap that describes the many types of coffee and their ingredients. The ad takes on more meaning than just a sales page and suddenly becomes a learning experience. I can't tell you how many times I have been in coffee shops and have had to wonder with friends what each kind is made of.

The  typography and color are also very important to the success of their design. They wanted to establish a connection with the art of coffee making with actual works of art from a museum and everything has a brushed and painted look. The font choice is relaxing and comforting and doesn't seem informational. The colors in the cup and how they were applied create a smooth and fluffy texture that almost make the flavor jump off the page. Now I'm dying for another cup and I know advertising is winning when it compels me to do something I hadn't originally intended.

The failure of Nespresso - What Else?

It seems these two companies are in a tight competition because grocery store shelves feature the exact same product stacked on top of each in their new Latte Macchiato flavor. However, when it comes to advertising in the same magazine the battle was lost by Nespresso.

This ad lacks any creativity and attention to the actual product. It seems to be relying on celebrity endorsement alone and attempts to be clever with a unique tag line associated with George Clooney. "Good taste. What else do you need." I guess I am meant to associate Clooney with knowing what product is best. Doesn't anyone remember the Disney's Tomorrowland or the Clooney mullet? Except for the brewing machine, this same ad could have been used for Lowe's hard wood floors or the cover of Architectural Digest.

Good taste?

The entire page doesn't really work for me because it doesn't pay attention to the product. The only example that might give you a sense of how delicious Nespresso could be is hidden almost inside the magazine fold. This is where the two ads are truly distinctive from one another. Nespresso failed to use the space effectively and although I actually prefer their coffee, this example might have swayed me more toward Starbucks. I feel like their design team mailed this one in.