I found this post entertaining. It is really quite funny how dramatically a large firm like Starbucks would react to a small family owned one just to protect their brand positioning.

Yet I also wonder why they reacted so negatively to it. Having “Charbucks” around would only increase the brand awareness, channels, and revenue streams. Having a branded drink named after them in fact would enforce Starbucks as the name people first think of when we hear the word coffee.

Similiarly, when Netflix became aware of how many users were sharing passwords, they also knew that it may not be a bad thing. In fact, finding that many who borrowed passwords were likely to eventually day for the service.

Overall, interesting how Starbucks takes their brand positioning so seriously. Being Starbucks, they must know something about being a popular coffee chain. However, is it possible for such close watch on their brand image be restricting their possibilities?