Starbucks left in difficult position by dumb parody buzz

This weekend media outlets around the world were abuzz with reports of a coffee store in Los Angeles that looked like a Starbucks and sounded like a Starbucks yet wasn’t a Starbucks – the crucial difference being the addition of one word to the coffee chain’s brand name. While the true motive behind the new ‘Dumb Starbucks’ store has yet to be revealed, the opening of the outlet puts Starbucks in a difficult position. However, one positive is to be found in the resulting media coverage.