A Facet

Starbucks' official blog comes across to the reader as a facet of the company through specific design and textual choices.  The blog does not have an introduction, a purpose statement, or even a unifying quote or slogan that represents what the blog encompasses.  The blog is simply another page on the website with blog posts, categories, and archives.  These last three blog mainstays are, in fact, the only things that immediately identify the blog page as a blog.  The blog just simply is a part of Starbucks, and therefore is one part of Starbucks’ larger digital identity.  In regards to design, the blog at no point appears in another web browser tab when reached, and it has the same banner, nav bar, and footer as all the other webpages of the site.  This design choice clearly makes the blog function as part of the website, and therefore part of the company.  The blog, in design and textual limitations, does not represent anything beyond or outside of the corporate identity and messaging of Starbucks.  These features (or lack of) clearly indicate that the blog is not equal to the company website in terms of representational power and authority.  Instead, the blog is answerable to Starbucks and is low on the totem pole of the Starbucks digital hierarchy.

Ultimately, the blog can be thought of as a series of sticky notes.  Each note shares, in a personal voice, something specific from the Starbucks corporate perspective.  This can be an introduction to a new menu item, a post about sustainable coffee sourcing, or even sharing about a community service event Starbucks participated in.  Each post is a sticky note that fits into larger categories, such as Menu, Responsibility, or Coffeehouse, which are actually links on the nav bar.  The blog posts, or sticky notes, appear at the bottom of main pages.  For example, a menu item blog post will appear at the bottom of the Menu item webpage.  The blog post functions as a little reminder or tidbit of information relating to the subject of the current page.  It functions much like a sticky note functions in reality.

Ultimately, Starbucks does not use the blog like many bloggers in the world do.  It does create a separate identity that is cohesive with the larger Starbucks Corporation identity.  It does not have its own perspective.  The blog shares similar information that is shared on other Starbucks webpages.  It even reinforces attitudes and information on Starbucks webpages, but it never is its own gig.  Starbucks could easily do without the blog or revamp it greatly.  The blog is utilized as another megaphone within a megaphone for the company.

Coffee

The main purpose of the Starbucks’ Coffee subpage is to give the reader a simple introduction to the various coffee options at Starbucks.  For as many different coffee roasts as the company has, I give them credit for making this first page truly welcoming by not overwhelming the reader with too much information.  Instead, the page asks the reader a question, “How do you like your coffee?” and provides the reader with the option of choosing coffee roasts of three different types in order to delve into learning more about Starbucks coffee.

This main page also is not too wordy, but the words employed are very specific.  “Subtle & Mellow,” “Smooth & Balance,” and “Bold & Robust” are the three different roast categories.  Most readers of this text will identify these key words as coffee roast categories.  However, even a coffee beginner would be able to understand that these keywords sum up the taste values for each roast.  The image directly below the keyword groups solidifies this intuitive textual information because the graphic progresses from light color to dark color from left to right.  The text does a wonderful job through the use of key words and the image of introducing reader of all kinds to three important coffee roast categories.

Also featured on this main page is the blog on the bottom left.  The blog posts explore different types of coffee roasts, new coffee products from around the globe, coffee farming, coffee tasting opportunities at local Starbucks, and more.  Each post is authored by a different author that is directly involved with the topic of the post.  Having an authoritative author lends more credibility to each very informative blog post and to the Coffee section of the website as well.

Interestingly, once a reader selects a specific coffee blend, such as Decaf Willow Blend, the page features some very different options.  There is an informative video about the blend with a transcript, description, review section, “Find it At” option, picture, social media sharing links, and the option to purchase this blend online.  This is quite a lot for one page about one specific product.  The reader’s eye might feel a bit overwhelmed by all the links, media, and text, yet nutritional information is not even listed!

Another thing absent from this page and other specific product pages are blog posts.  This is a trend that will be seen throughout the website and will be explored later on.  Webpages that are shopping and purchasing oriented do not feature any blog posts, and this page is no exception.

Homepage

The Starbucks homepage serves as a springboard into different aspects of Starbucks.com.  Diving further into the site is an exploratory process for the reader, therefore the homepage provides helpful snippets of information to catch the eye and mind.  These snippets are textual and pictorial, and there is a nice balance between the use of both.  The text and images emphasize coffee in many ways: the purchase of coffee, gift cards, home brewing, rewards programs, and more.  Overall, the text values coffee and coffee related items as a perishable commodity.  Readers probably share this value, as Starbucks is first and foremost a coffee beverage company.  However, readers probably value understanding more about the Starbucks corporate attitude on a variety of subjects.  The homepage recognizes this value by including a nav bar that directs readers to Coffee, Menu, Coffeehouse, Responsibility, Card, and Shop subpages.  Through design, text, images, and video, the Starbucks homepage invites the reader to explore Starbucks’ digital identity.  

The homepage is encyclopedic in nature because it shares small glimpses of information.  Yet, the homepage is also procedural and participatory, though in a much smaller degree.  The homepage features social media links to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.  These links invite readers to share what they find interesting on the website with their friends, tweet about it, and follow the company on social media networks.  This allows readers to participate in a digital relationship with the company.  In turn, the company grows its base of “friends,” fans, and general PR reach.  The homepage is has procedural  functions as well; the search bar and “Find a Store” options are examples of such.  The site is minimally spatial.  Design aspects of the site have set spatial settings for the reader to navigate the text through, such as the nav bar, location of images, and the blog at the bottom of the page.

The homepage features the presence of “Newest Blog Posts” at the bottom left of the homepage.  Featuring a few blog posts on the homepage does not clinch my argument that the blog is just a simple mundane piece of the greater Starbucks digital identity and not a separate blog entity.  It is quite reasonable and normal for this to be featured on the front page.  However, this is the beginning of a trend.  Starbucks will continue to feature the blog in a similar manner and almost exact location on other significant subpages.  This, I believe, does dilute the importance of the blog and keeps the blog ‘reigned in’ from growing into something larger or personal that is outside Starbucks’ wishes.  Essentially, this trend subjugates the blog.

Menu

The main Menu page and subpages are very descriptive and informative pieces of text for readers interested in learning more Starbucks food, drinks, and nutritional information.  The main Menu page uses key words such as “delicious,” “handcrafted, “wholesome,” and “quality” to appeal to readers that value good tasting food and drinks that are one of a kind instead of vending machine coffee quality.  Readers and the Starbucks Corporation do not value cheap and mediocre coffee and food.  In the nutrition subpages, the words “fresh,” “real fruit,” and “whole-grain” are used to appeal to readers who value healthy food that is not processed and contains needed nutrients.  Though keywords like those above are used, the text overall is spare, but one image does provide illustration on the main Menu page, while subpages have more images and more text. 

I will admit that there is not a large sense of immediate credibility on the initial Menu page.  However, this changes once the reader delves into the Menu subpages.  These pages are very textual though not exactly verbose.  The drinks page highlights current special drinks, describing the drinks by listing specific ingredients, flavors, and toppings.  More drinks subpages continue with this trend while staying on task, informative, and providing visual illustration the use of images.  The nutritional subpages are very informative.  They list exact ingredients, dietary options (if available), and have the standard nutritional information box that modern readers encounter every day.  These subpages lend immense credibility to each other and the main Menu page by citing such a large amount of specifics and scientific measurements.  If the reader is looking for a Starbucks food and drink encyclopedia, look no further.
 

At this point it is obvious that the Menu page and subpages are very encyclopedic.  Social media sharing links are provided for reader participation and on the bottom left are related blog posts.  Readers have the option of commenting on these posts.  That is about the extent of participatory action.  The procedural functions are intuitive, such as clicking links to learn more.  There is nothing that stands out procedurally speaking.