-MY MOM SENT THIS TO ME VIA EMAIL, IT WAS FROM HER YAHOO GROUP MASCI '77
haven't you noticed how starbucks has taken the place of megamall, enchanted kingdom and jollibee? today, starbucks spells gimik. suddenly everyone is mad about coffee, and is willing to spend a whoping hundred bucks for "one tall _mocha frappe please!"
everyone claims it's different, it's something else, it's to die for. instead of catching a nice flick at the cinema, the filipino's new idea of fun is to voluntarily aprk their buns at the cafe and
gulp all the caffeine they can.
no one knows exactly why starbucks has become a hoT spot, when what they serve is just foamed blend 45 for crying out loud.
oh try pointing out this to starbucks fanatics (i.e. the likes of teeny-boppers and kikay girls), and you can expect getting attacked on how little you know about coffee. get ready with the answers like "duh! starbucks isn't just coffee! they're ground beans and processed chocolate and skimme milk! what do you know about that?"
they have a point there though bec even in US, when you talk coffee, starbucks comes first. their ingredients are never questionable, and if i'm not mistaken, starbucks is an establishes-since-year brand. in short, starbucks is the coffee authority. but it ends there. starbucks is coffee period. certainly not a gimmick place of some sort, not convincing enough as an alternative for the mall. this i repeat, is the case in the US.
but starbucks invades manila and here it becomes an obession. as you may have already seen, the interiors of starbucks cafes are all designed to create a distinct ambience. notice from the italian-tiled flooring, to the cowboy-motif wall covering, to the fancy lamps, tables and chairs crafted like those only seen in home magazines.
of course, who would miss the complicated bar counter, behind which all the grinders and blenders are displayed as if to remind you they really do process your cappuccino.
i mean, who can resist frequenting a posh place like this? instead of worrying about other important things, the typical kikay teenager puts on her best dress, and with her kikay friends goes straight to starbucks where she orders "one tall caramel please!" this takes time to prepare, whch is fine. she feels rewarded by the fact that the ethical barista would shout her name accross the room by the time her frappe is ready.
after she claims it, she heads for the self service corner where she takes excessive packets of extra sugar, extra cream, an inch thick of tissue paper for souvenir. then she sits by the front window, hoping someone she knows would pass by and see her drinking expensive coffee. she takes remarkably small sips in order to prolong her stay, like a real smart-ass.
during the entire process, there is the obligatory flaunting of nokia cellphones, the occasional eruptins of "yeah" and "sure" here and there. you get the impression everyone in the room is from the conyo sector. pathetic as it is, the starbucks atmosphere is so contagious that it simply brings out the social climber in one.
you have to admit that the Philippine franchiser - whoever he is - deserves credit. he's certainly not stupid. he sees through us filipinos, and definitely knows how to flatter us. mr.starbucks is aware of the average pinoy desire to be associated and considered among the elite becwell, in reality, the average pinoy is far from being that. the average pinoy home is less attrctive than a place like starbucks. the average pinoy meal si without garnishes. the average pinoy environment is less comforting and convenient than the service of starbucks.
but when in starbucks, the averagge pinoy is instantly made to feel he's in new york, or las vegas or paris, or anywhere elso but manila -
one probable reason why we filipinos buy this flick. we are total suckers for anything that is western in concept. but starbucks has gone beyond colonial mentality; it has become pure escapism. it helps us forget about the EDSA traffic jam,. the hostges in mindanao, and the decreasing popularity of ERAP. in this age of harsh realities of poverty and chaos, anything that offers oblivion and temporary indulgence sells fast. no matter how costly it is.
with their little creativity in repackaging, starbucks is no longer coffee. it's already a religion,. that we filipinos practically worship that green logo with exotic lady shows where we derive our strength to move on. it is from the promise of starbucks every pay day.
