Confession: I like Starbucks more than the small, locally owned coffee shops.
It has nothing to do with big corporations or the belief that Starbucks products are better than others (to be honest, I actually don't really like their coffee or tea selections).
It has everything to do with brand recognition.
Seriously, hold on- don't write me off. I'm going somewhere with this and it's not mainstream.
On Sunday, one of my seventh graders reached the end of her rope. She was tired of middle school, sick of being 12, and completely overwhelmed with her life. So, I did the only thing I could think of:
I brought a Frappuccino to her at school.
And it's incredible how much that one simple thing made such a difference.
Now I recognize that there was more to it than just the fact that she now had in her possession a frothy, blended, highly sugared drink. It was more than just a green logo with a weird mermaid in a circle on a cup. There was something magical that happened in between walking out of the Starbucks, drinks in hand, and walking into the school that Monday, armed and dangerous.
The Starbucks cup was filled with more than just empty calories. It was a clear status symbol. This seventh grader had friends in high places: friends who could drive and who thought her cool enough to take time out of their days to make a delivery.
Would a generic, local drink have done the same?
Somehow I don't think so.
And that's why I like Starbucks so much.
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