The Superiority of Starbucks Coffee Shop Through Its Advertisements

Cloudida 2225086499

English Department Faculty of Language and Art State University of Jakarta 2011

Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
Nowadays, coffee is not only generally loved by men anymore. Drinking coffee and hangout at the caf with some friends is a routine for people recently. It becomes a lifestyle or trend to urban people. It does not matter like or not it is more about to identify or claim which social class we are in. Moreover the taste of coffee itself is varied and developed which might be the other factor of the increasing of coffee drinker nowadays.

Talking about culture based on cultural studies point of view, this kind of trend or lifestyle includes popular culture. The popular use of the word culture in many Western societies reflects the fact that these societies are stratified. Many use the word culture to refer to elite consumption goods and activities such as fine cuisine, art, and music. Some label this as "high" culture to distinguish it from "low" culture, meaning non elite consumption goods and activities. (http://www.publicdomaincontent.com/encyclopedia/War/Culture.shtml, [accessed at April 17, 2011: 10.12 p.m.]).

Starbucks is the most famous coffee shop. It is originated or based on Seattle, Washington DC. Starbucks has many outlets all over the world. We can say Starbucks is the king in coffee shop business. They give a place where people can enjoy their free time by enjoying a cup of coffee and meeting with friends. As

cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks [Accessed at April 17, 2011: 09.45 p.m.] Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world,[2] with 17,009 stores in 50 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1000 in Canada, and over 700 in the UK. It is fascinating because Starbucks seems brings a new culture to the society and acceptable everywhere in the world even in some countries the culture itself is extremely new.

Although some of small coffee shops or local coffee shops in some regions are complaining the presence of Starbucks. They think that they have lost their customers because the expanding of Starbucks into their region. Even, now there is a campaign against Starbucks in some countries. Still cited in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks Starbucks has been accused by local authorities of opening several stores in the United Kingdom in retail premises, without the planning permission for a change of use to a restaurant continued with In May 2008, a branch of Starbucks was completed on St. James's Street in Kemptown, Brighton, England, despite having been refused permission by the local planning authority, Brighton and Hove City Council, who claimed there were too many coffee shops already present on the street.

These days Starbucks becomes a fashion icon. As we see Starbucks has been seen in many Hollywood movies which themed fashion such as The Devil Wears Prada, The Proposal, Made of Honor, Miss Congeniality, Sex and the City, Going on 30, etc. People are not buying a glass of Starbucks coffee just for the sake of their need of awaking up or refreshing their body only but also claiming themselves as an urban people or modern people. Some people say when buying a

glass of Starbucks coffee is not buying a glass of coffee only but also a style. From these reasons, the writer is interested in analyzing it as superiority of coffee shop by Starbucks.

The great or successful marketing of Starbucks must be related to their advertisements which make people choose their products rather than other coffee shops. So the writer analyzes the superiority through Starbucks advertisements. Analyzing advertisement is eligible using semiotics theory by Roland Barthes. The data from the advertisements would be sentences and some pictures which bring several messages to the viewers. Semiotics theory also called semiotic studies or (in the Saussurean tradition) semiology, is the study of signs and sign processes (semiosis), indication, designation, likeness, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication. Semiotics is closely related to the field of linguistics, which, for its part, studies the structure and meaning of language more specifically. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotics, [accessed at April 18, 2011: 12.45 p.m.]).

1.2 The Identification of the problem

1. What is the representation of Starbucks in its advertisements? 2. How do Starbucks coffee shop advertisements represent superiority of its brand?

1.3 Research Question

How do Starbucks coffee shop advertisements represent superiority of its brand?

1.4 The Limitation of the study

This research is explaining and focusing on the superiority of Starbucks coffee shop in modern society through its advertisements.

1.5 The Purpose of the study

The aim of this study is to reveal the superiority of coffee shop which represented in Starbucks advertisements.

1.6 The Significance of the study

The writer hopes this research would be helpful for students of English Department to show superiority of product in advertisements. The writer also expects the knowledge of students of English Department would be widened about cultural studies in media text as well as to be more critical about something which is raised in media text.

Chapter 2
Literature Review
2.1 Semiotic theory
Semiotics is the study of signs and how signs being interpreted. The purpose is to study and interpret the message which is being conveyed in those signs. According to Arthur Asa Berger semiotics is imperialistic study so it can be applied in many different studies including contemporary culture indications. The easiest definition to understand about semiotics is semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign (Eco, 1967, 7) (Chandler, 2002, pg 2). However semiotics is not limited to analyze signs in a text. Text in semiotics is including verbal, non verbal, or even both. It is usually used to analyze print advertisements, logos, brand names, design, and so on. Signs can exist in any media or medium of communication. The term medium is categorized in vary ways by different theorists such as speech, writing or printing broadcasting which related to the mass media or even just interpersonal communication media such as telephone, letter, e-mail, and so on. Semiotician is also studying the other things in those medium which stand for something else or not as literally meaning.

Chandler said the medium which has been constantly used by someone who knows how to use it, it becomes neutral and the more often the medium is used the more transparent or invisible the sign to the viewer. According to Stuart Hall the role of social positioning in the interpretation

of mass media texts by different social groups. Hall suggested three positions for the reader of a text the one of the position he suggested is dominant or hegemonic reading.

dominant (or 'hegemonic') reading: this is an ideological code in which the decoder fully shares the text's code and accepts and reproduces the preferred reading (a reading which may not have been the result of any conscious intention on the part of the author(s)) - in such a stance the code seems 'natural' and 'transparent'

(Chandler 2002, 228)

It means by the using of the medium regularly the signs which have been carried in are being accepted and normal to the viewer unconsciously.

2.1.1 Semiotic theory by Roland Barthes

According to Barthes a sign has two levels meaning, the first level is denotation meaning and the second is the connotation meaning. Denotation meaning means the literal meaning or the meaning which has been known and agreed by the public. While connotation meaning is personal meaning which different from it is seen or hidden meaning. From this second level or the connotation meaning becomes a myth in the third level. It becomes a myth if the people agree the connotation meaning itself as a denotative meaning by convention.

Moreover interpreting sign by the Saussurean model, Sausssure defined into two parts which has been adopted commonly by semioticians in analyzing sign. First, signifier is the elements of the

sign itself which are seen or felt by our sensory. According to Saussure signifier is the sound pattern. A sound pattern is the hearers psychological impression of sound, as given to him by the evidence of his senses. (Saussure 1983, 66) (via Chandler 2002, 18) And the second is the concept or the message which is being conveyed in the advertisement itself as signified. The relation between signifier and signified is called as signification as seen in the picture below.

Signified Signifier
The Saussurean model Sign Signifier Signified 1st level (Denotation) 2nd level (Connotation)

Signifier

Signified

Signifier

Signified 3rd level (2nd Denotation) (Myth) Orders of Signification

2.2 Superiority
Based on Oxford English Dictionary, superiority as an adjective word it means higher in rank, status, or quality. In the other source, Macmillan dictionary superiority refers to the position of person or thing which is

more powerful than another. Whereas superiority as a noun word it means the quality of being at a competitive advantage.

In this research the word superiority refers to the position of Starbuck as a huge coffee shop company in the world which can defeat its rivals even they have same products or even better. We can mention some of Starbuck rivals such as McCafe and Dunkin Coffee. Those of companies are also huge company in the world but they still are not as famous as Starbucks.

2.3 Advertisement Advertising

At the twentieth century the contemporary advertising industry was founded, the idea that sales of a product would increase if the product could be related to lifestyle, trends, and values. Advertising is a marketing practical which aimed to increase the selling of product.

its goal of blurring the line between the product and social consciousness of it can be seen in the fact that it is now used as a persuasion technique by anyone in society who wants to influence people to do something-to endorse a political candidate, to support a cause, and so on and so forth. (Danesi, 2004)

So, advertisement is the media to inform some information to the viewers or even persuading people to do something or to take some actions. Advertisements are categorized into two major first, broadcast advertisement which is presented on television and radio. Second is printed advertisement that usually exists in daily newspaper, magazines,

flyers, and so on. The element of the marketing communication mix that is non personal paid for an identified sponsor, & disseminated through mass channels of communication to promote the adoption of goods, services, person or ideas.( Bearden, Ingram, & Laforge, 1998). As a result we can find advertisements everywhere, in television, radio, billboards, magazines, newspapers, etc. Nowadays advertising becomes a form of persuasive social strategy intended to influence how people perceived the buying and consumption of goods.

According to Danesi, advertising has three main categories: 1. Consumer advertising, which is directed towards the promotion of some product. 2. Trade advertising, in which a sales pitch is made to dealers and professionals through appropriate trade publications and media. 3. Political-social advertising, which is used by special-interest groups and politicians to advertise their platforms. Moreover in advertising language is existed to reinforce, allude, or simply state its message. There are some strategies of advertising language based on Danesi book such as: 1. Jingles and Slogans: These enhance memory of the product: Have a great day, at McDonald; Join the Pepsi Generation. 2. Use of the Imperative Form: This creates the effect of advice coming from an unseen authoritative source: Drink milk, Love Life; Trust your sense; Healthy inside Fresh outside

3. Formulas: These create the effect of making meaningless statements sound truthful: Triumph has a bra for the way you are; A Volkswagen is a Volkswageri. 4. Alliteration: The repetition of sounds in a slogan or jingle increases the likelihood that a brand name will be remembered and be imbued with a poetic quality: The Supe$ree sensation (alliteration of s); Guinness is good for you (alliteration of g). 5. Absence of language: Some ads strategically avoid the use of any language whatsoever, suggesting, by implication that the product speaks for itself. 6. Intentional omission: This capitalizes on the fact that secretive statements like Dont tell your friends about.. .; Do you know what shes wearing? Grab peoples attention. 7. Metaphor: To create powerful imagery for the product: e.g., Come to where theJlavor is . . . Marlboro country. 8. Metonymy: Also to create powerful imagery for the product: Bring a touch of Paris into your life.

Therefore the design of advertisement is always aesthetical, memorable, eye catching, and sometimes erotic to get maximal attention of the candidate buyer of the product.

2.4 Starbucks coffee shop

Starbucks is an international coffee company which is found by three of friends in Seattle, Washington, United States on March 30, 1971. They are

Jerry Baldwin an English teacher, Zev Siegl a history teacher, and Gordon Bowker a writer. At the first time it was considered to be named Pequod which was inspired by Moby Dick novel but the co-founder refused to use this name then renamed to Starbuck, the name of Pequods mate in Moby Dick. They sold high quality coffee beans and equipment only. But until the day, an entrepreneur named Howard Schultz joined to the company as a Director of Retail Operations and Marketing. He gave an idea to the founder that the company should sell coffee drinks and espresso after he had been in trip in Milan. He wanted to bring the coffeehouse nuance in Milan to United States where the people can go hangout, chatting, and meeting with their friends outside the office or home comfortably. But the founder did not agree because they were afraid it would distract the companys focus as a coffee beans and equipments retailer company.

Even in the next time they made free samples of pre-made drinks. Schultz saw a chance to made money from this business, he started made a coffee bar named Il Giornale in April 1986. And then Jerry Baldwin was the owner of Starbuck at that time bought Peets, the place they were ordering coffee beans for Starbucks. Until in 1987 the three of Starbucks founders decided to sell Starbucks to Schultz. After Starbucks was took over by Schultz he rebranded Il Giornales outlets became Starbucks. In that time Starbucks was growing and expanding quickly as coffee drinks company in United States.

Nowadays Starbucks has 17,009 stores in 50 countries and 137,000 employees along 2010 therefore it is considered as the largest coffeehouse company in the world. Starbucks expands their outlets all over the world rapidly since the first time it opened in Pike Place Market, Seattle. Schultz began to expand Starbucks outside North America after succeed grown 162 outlets in United States and Canada. This time Starbucks has been selling another product beside coffee drinks, they sell food beverages, drink water, tea, and also their merchandise such as glass, t-shirt, cap, and so on.

Chapter 3
Methodology
3.1 Research methodology This research is conducted by using a descriptive analytical interpretive method. The researcher will analyze the data by using semiotics theory by Roland Barthes based on denotation and connotation level.

3.2 Source of the data The data of this research is advertisements of Starbucks in official Starbucks website and some online magazines.

3.3 Data collecting procedures 1. Finding the Starbuck advertisements 2. Selecting the advertisements which represent the superiority of Starbucks 3. Finding the appropriate theories 4. Finding and reading some books or other texts which related to the corpora and the theory

3.4 Data analyzing techniques 1. Identifying the elements of the advertisements 1.1 Identifying the signifier of the advertisements 1.2 Identifying the signified of the advertisements

2. Analyzing the denotative meaning of data from advertisements 3. Analyzing the connotative meaning of data 4. Interpreting the result of the analysis 5. Identifying the interpretations which shows superiority

the

References
Allen, Graham. (2003) Roland Barthes. London: Routledge. Barthes, Roland. (1991) Mythologies (trans. Annette Lavers). New York: The Noonday Press. (1977). Image-Music-Text. New York: Hill and Wang Chandler, Daniel. (2002) Semiotics: The Basics. London: Routledge. Cobley, Paul. (2001) The Routledge Companion To Semiotics And Linguistics. London: Routledge. Danesi, Marcel. (2004) Messages, Signs, And Meanings: A Basic Textbook in Semiotics and Communication Theory. Canada: Canadian Scholars Press Inc. Hornby, A S. (2000) Oxford English Dictionary 6th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ratna, Nyoman Kutha. (2006) Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra Dari Strukturalisme Hingga Postrukturalisme Perspektif Wacana Naratif. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks [accessed on Friday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/our-heritage