The real star in Starbucks

For those who think that we at MARKETING magazine have got nothing better to do, you are probably right. 

But it just occurred to us, after a recent bout of Hamnesia, that we have been in operation for 25 years. 

Longer than this global coffee brand has been in Malaysia. Do they actually grow their own coffee beans? 

And through all this time we’ve been in neighbouring company with KHK Advertising, Popeye’s, Pizza Hut and more. 

For Grab drivers, Starbucks’ current claim to fame is the fact that they are next to us in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. 

No, CEO Sydney Quays has not given us a lifetime supply of free coffee (yet), but his PR agency has kindly given us a RM50 debit voucher which technically makes us Star customers. 

And the kind staff serving at the outlet next to us know that we have better relationships with bartenders, than baristas. 

Or that muffins just don’t cut it for lunch considering that some of the finest restaurants are down the road*. 

Back to Sydney, who spent more than two decades building the brand, probably does not know that he is parked next to Malaysia’s number 1 marketing industry portal. 

Or that we put the star status into his brand. 

But this story is not as exciting as the Tourism Malaysia pitch.

Back to real work now…

* In particular, I’d like to mention Kayra which is an amazing restaurant where  I try not to go too often as it embarrasses me to no end when the owner sees me visiting almost every other day, as if I have no better place to lunch.