Monday, September 11, 2006
The Insider: Principal roasts Starbucks over steamy retro logo
Starbucks’ trip down memory lane to bring back its original mermaid logo on its cups has brewed up some controversy.
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| In honor of its 35th anniversary, Starbucks’ replaced its current mermaid logo with the original, top. | ||
A Kent elementary school principal, according to a local TV station, asked teachers last week that if they were bringing their daily joe to school that they make sure they get a sleeve to cover the image of a topless mermaid on Starbucks cups.
The Seattle-based coffee giant, as part of its 35th anniversary, this month put its original logo with the bare-breasted mermaid on its cups in stores in Washington and Oregon.
Valerie O’Neil, a Starbucks spokeswoman, said that other than the flare-up in Kent, it’s been pretty quiet regarding the mermaid.
“Customers like to see the old logo,” she said. “It’s all about perspective.”
Even though Starbucks is a twin-tailed mermaid, or siren as she’s known in Greek mythology, the company actually got its moniker from the first mate’s name in the classic novel “Moby Dick.”
