Turning a third place into a brand

Here is a good explanation of the appeal of Starbucks. Some of these concepts could be applied to other venues, like music.

The Modesto Bee, 3/25/07, Why do so many of us pour into Starbucks? It's become a lifestyle: "'Starbucks has a strong emotional connection with their clients,' said Alan Siegel, brand consultant with New York's Siegel+ Gale.

'They have been successful because people liked going into that environment and liked how they were treated. It is a place to have coffee with some style.'

It's more than that, added Ron Paul, president of Chicago restaurant consultant Technomic. Starbucks has transcended its retail origins and become a 'third place.' It's not your home or your office, but a zone in between where you can decompress. 'It's a refuge,' Paul said.

Clients appreciate company's values

In Starbucks-speak, executives say customers have given the company 'permission to go beyond coffee' and use its own 'curatorial voice' to select other things they might like.

How did Starbucks come to wield such authority? First, its baristas taught you the difference between an espresso, a cappuccino and a latte.

Then, maybe you were impressed with the quality of Starbucks' employees and how the company treated them, even the part-timers.

Finally, Starbucks does good things in the world, promoting coffee beans that come with the promise that the workers who harvested them were treated well. That makes its customers feel good."

third places