IS STARBUCKS INVESTING TOO MUCH INTO VISUALS?

Jaggernauth: So how much money does it really cost the Coffee Chain Starbucks to decorate its 15,000 stores world wide at least 8 times a year? We can only imagine? Lets assume it coat the company $2000 per store, times 15000 stores, times 8 a year, thats $240, 000,000 MILLION. Wow...theres some rough calculations for you, please note it could cost less or mored depend on the store size, location, and training that goes for the promotion...

HERES STARBUCKS PRESIDENTS COMMENTS AND VIEWS ON THE COMPANY'S PROGRESS AND SETBACKS.
JIM L DONALD.
Starbucks lost customers after an increase in late July of 9 cents a cup caused some customers to go to competitors instead. Margins have also been hurt by higher dairy costs and the sales of less-profitable breakfast sandwiches and salads.Unbeknownst to us, we saw economic headwinds that quite frankly came up probably stronger than I thought,” Mr. Donald said.
“The consumer is being faced with rising costs in every sector of their lives, and so part of that is reflecting on us.”Fourth-quarter net income advanced to $158.5 million, or 21 cents a share, from $117.3 million, or 15 cents, a year earlier, the company, based in Seattle, said in a statement. The results matched analysts’ estimates. Revenue climbed 22 percent, to $2.44 billion.

STARBUCKS CEO 'HOWARD SCHULTZ' IS PROBALLY MOVING BACK TO NYC. MS. SCHULTZ JUST BOUGHT A 30 MILLION APARTMENT IN NYC...
JAGGERNAUTH-The New York Post reported this week that Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz ,is buying a sprawling Fifth Avenue apartment "with gorgeous views of Central Park." The sale price is estimated at between $25 million and $30 million. The brooklyn born inspirational CEO is a man who knows how to maintain his composure, and so maybe thats why hes coming back to NYC .

POPE BENEDICT XVI is due to visit New York in April:Jaggernauth- New Yorkers will be treated to a warm visit from the Pope in April, he is scheduled to visit the Yankees Stadium , WTC site and The United Nations. This is going to be a major event where alot of money is going to be invested by many people inclusing the Business Community and The Government. I wonder how much security will cost the nation...

Data Leak in Britain Affects 25 Million LONDON, — The British government struggled Wednesday to explain its loss of computer disks containing detailed personal information on 25 million Britons, including an unknown number of bank account identifiers, in what analysts described as potentially the most significant privacy breach of the digital era.

It has defended its decision not to disclose the loss until Tuesday, 10 days after it had been informed, saying banks had asked for time to put heightened security measures in place first.

The data went astray in October, after two computer disks that contained information on families that receive government financial benefits for children were sent out from a government tax agency unregistered, via a private delivery service.

Starbucks Chairman Receives First Magazine Award For Responsible Capitalism

LONDON, Howard Schultz, chairman, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX), has been awarded the prestigious First Magazine Award for Responsible Capitalism 2007.

Presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon Alistair Darling MP, the annual award recognises business leaders who put social responsibility at the heart of their commercial strategy. In making the award, the judging panel considers a company's commitment to establishing a responsible approach to business, its relationship with its customers, suppliers and the local communities it operates in.

On receiving the award Schultz said, "It is a great privilege to receive this recognition. Starbucks is committed to doing business responsibly and ethically, and it is an honour to be recognised in this way as a socially responsible company, both in the communities where we have retail locations and the countries where our coffees are grown.

WRITERS STRIKE COST ABOUT $2MILLION A DAY

“Our estimate of $2 million a day was constructed as a very short-term thing, recognizing that as times goes on, travel plans are more subject to change,” Mr. Braconi said.On Tuesday, the fourth day of the strike, the city comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., estimated that the economic losses from the theater strike amounted to about $2 million per day. The estimate was based on survey data relating to Broadway ticket sales, the proportion of tickets sold to different market segments, and the total spending of those patrons on tickets, dining, shopping and other nontheater activities.

BIG INVESTMENT FROM IN RUSSIA:
IS this the right timing for more big investments ...

About Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is one of the world's leading wealth management, capital markets and advisory companies, with offices in 38 countries and territories and total client assets of approximately $1.7 trillion. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Merrill Lynch owns approximately half of BlackRock, one of the world's largest publicly traded investment management companies, with more than $1 trillion in assets under management

About NBT
National Bank TRUST is among the top 30 Russian banks (according to the Central Bank of Russia); with assets of 54.977 billion rubles and shareholders equity of 5.497 billion rubles according to IFRS accounts at the end of 1H2007. NBT is one of the leading retail and SME Russian banks currently present in over 140 cities throughout the Russian Federation.

About TIB
TRUST Investment Bank is one of Russia's leading capital markets institutions bringing strategic solutions to corporate Russia; with assets of 43.646 billion rubles and shareholders equity of 6.633 billion rubles according to IFRS accounts at the end of 1H2007.

SO MUCH MERGING THESE DAYS:

Just when airlines are emerging from bankruptcy and starting to post the best profits since 2001, the industry’s future is shakier than ever. But it doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that consolidation is on the horizon. It’s just a matter of when and how.

Goldman Sachs analyst Robert Barry wrote Thursday that “all airline management teams and boards have been discussing consolidation ad nauseam, for months if not longer.” United Airlines has made no secret that it would entertain a partnership. And Northwest has been open to talks as well. But so far, airlines have been all talk and no action.

“Everybody’s filling up their dance cards but nobody’s dancing yet,’’ said airline analyst Ray Neidl with Calyon Securities.

Retailers rolled out early marketing plans this YR, Sales started way before Thanksgiving:

Reatilers started out early this year to boost Sales. Starbucks the world's most frequently visited retail was the first to jump into the holiday theme...STARBUCKS coffee even started TV AD's this year, investing millions of dollars to boost Holiday beverage sales ...NOV 11th to be exact...Macys can be seen full of shoppers and so call sales daily as the holiday approaches...

ADVERTISMENT: STARBUCKS launches its TV AD'S tonight to promote sales of it's holiday beverages.
Starbucks TV Campaign is Culture ShiftStarbucks's first national TV ad campaign marks a turnabout for the coffee giant, which built itself into a global chain with word-of-mouth buzz.

Starbucks Corp. started its first national brand campaign on television Friday night, as one of the world's most successful consumer brands tries mass marketing to jump-start slowing sales growth.

The decision is a cultural turnabout for the coffee giant, which built itself into a global chain by harnessing word-of-mouth buzz. Starbucks's chairman, Howard Schultz, wrote a decade ago: "[B]y its very nature, national advertising fuels fears about ubiquity."

AN IDEAL HOLIDAY GIFT FOR MUSIC LOVERS: "GREAT QUALITY BUT COSTLY

The next step in Bose® noise reducing headphones. A smaller, lighter design—delivering an unmatched combination of noise reduction, audio performance and comfortable fit for on-ear headphones.

	Proprietary Acoustic Noise Cancelling® technology helps fade background distractions$349

$1,499.00Our most advanced 3·2·1 DVD system digitally stores up to 200 hours of your CDs and delivers home theater sound with ease. Features two powerful Gemstone® speakers and an Acoustimass® mod

A MAN WITH SOME EXPERIANCE IN HIS HANDS IS CHOOSEN: NYSE Chief Is Chosen to Lead Merrill Lynch


Mr. Thain will take over a post at Merrill Lynch vacated by E. Stanley O’Neal who was ousted a few weeks ago.
John A. Thain, the chairman and chief executive of NYSE Euronext and a former co-president of Goldman Sachs, has been selected to be the next chief executive of Merrill Lynch, according to a person briefed on the situation.

Queens NY Based JETBLUE Airlines: are forced to cancel alot of their very own NEW YORK Flights .

Jet Blue airlines has cancelled alot of their New York Flights because of alot of cancellations they have been getting since the "WRITERS STRIKE " has started. The airline also mentioned that even though they dont question their travellers cancellations, it is most likely because of the NEW YORK WRITERS STRIKE , visitors are avoiding the city.

THE WRITERS STRIKE: THE IMPACT ON THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.


According to CNBC earlier today the "WRITERS STRIKE" has already cost 87 million in damage. And is costing 17 million a day to the releaing industry.
With the Christmas season around the corner the timing for this strike coulndn't have been any more impactful for the strikers. Most of the broadway shows are currently cancled. Costing millions in lost daily...

Starbucks Coffee Company has stocks has gone up for a two day high in several months. The stock went up .58C yesterday closing @ $23.14 and today it has risen .61C again...making it the highest it have risens in recent months.

INTEL IS COMING OUT WITH A NEW VEDIO CHIP FOR BETTER WEB QUALITY

Intel plans to introduce a set of new microprocessor chips coming Monday that will enables a higher speed and better quality of web videos. This mayeventually drive other large online advertisers such as myspace, google, yahoo to invest into this venture.

Superbug succeeds by blowing up defender cells, scientists learn

The aggressive antibiotic-resistant staph infection responsible for thousands of recent illnesses undermines the body's defenses by causing germ-fighting cells to explode, researchers reported Sunday. Experts say the findings may help lead to better treatments.
An estimated 90,000 people in the United States fall ill each year from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. It is not clear how many die from the infection; one estimate put it at more than 18,000 per year, which would be slightly higher than the rate of U.S. deaths from AIDS.
The infection long has been associated with health care facilities, where it attacks people with reduced immune systems. But many recent cases involve an aggressive strain, community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA.

New MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger says he has an open mind on the issue. "on price hike for MTA users"

Hemmerdinger, Gov. Spitzer's choice to lead the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, said he's taken note of the escalating clamor from legislators, transit advocates, political leaders and riders who want fares to remain unchanged.

"I'm paying attention, myself and the board members," Hemmerdinger told the Daily News, which has launched a Halt the Hike campaign. "No one is ignoring what we're hearing from the public and the legislators. We're not deaf."

The state Senate approved Hemmerdinger's nomination on Oct. 22, several months after MTA staff proposed a series of higher prices for the subways, buses, commuter trains and regional bridges and tunnels.

Merck agrees to pay $4.85B in Vioxx settlement

Merck agreed on Friday to pay $4.85 billion to end thousands of state and federal lawsuits over its painkiller Vioxx in one of the largest drug settlements ever.
Officials estimated the deal, if accepted, would end 45,000 to 50,000 personal injury suits involving Vioxx users in the U.S. who suffered a heart attack or ischemic stroke, the type in which blood flow to the brain is blocked.
"Without this settlement, the litigation might very well stretch on for years," Merck executive vice president Kenneth Frazier said. To qualify for a settlement, plaintiffs must have filed claims by Thursday and need to meet several criteria. These include medical proof that they suffered a heart attack or stroke, that they received at least 30 Vioxx pills and that they received enough pills to support a presumption that they were ingested within two weeks before injury.

WHEN COMPANIES FACES PROBLEMS WITH MARKETING TERMS USED: Starbucks and the Ethiopian government have reached an agreement which could help end a dispute over trademarks.
Protecting the birthplace of Coffee.

Ethiopia prides itself as the home of coffee bean cultivation

Starbucks and the Ethiopian government have reached an agreement which could help end a dispute over trademarks. The two sides agreed in principle to sign a licensing and marketing deal which recognises the importance of Ethiopia's speciality coffee beans .

Cultivation of the coffee bean first began in Ethiopia, and the country has been seeking to trademark its best-known coffee beans.

STARBUCKS ARTIST: PAUL MACCARTNEY IN THE LOVE SPOT LIGHT





The Paul Mccartney, Nancy Shevell Affair - Heather Mills demanded estranged husband Sir Paul McCartney confess if he was unfaithful before their split.
The former model, who is currently embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with Paul, quizzed The Beatles legend about whether he romanced married millionairess Nancy Shevell before the pair separated in May 2006.
Heather’s US publicist Michele Blanc told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “She did ask him if this was going on while they were together, and Paul swore that it did not happen then and that she was just

STARBUCKS COFFEE ROLL OUT IN STYLE THIS CHRISTMAS:
15,000 stores around the world decorated the same .THEME:'PASS THE CHEER'





Starbucks Coffee has started its holiday launch last night with 15,000 stores decorated alike thorughout the world, and the marketing theme"PASS THE CHEER." From the Red cups, to the Coffee Packaging and the Personalize STARBUCKS GIFTS CARDS, business are guaranteed to do well over the holiday season for this company.

CHAPTERS COVERED MAR100: Introduction to Marketing.
Designing Customer-Oriented Marketing Strategies:

-Marketing: is the process of PLANNING, EXECUTING the consumption and DISTRIBUTION of a good or service from manufacturing to satisfying a customer needs.

-Utility: is the want/satisfying power of a goods or service.

-The Marketing Environment: Ethics and Social Responsibility.

-E-Commerce: Marketing globally in the digital age.

-MYOPHIA: cannot see far

.Demographic Marketing
.Target Marketing

TYPES OF MARKETING:
-Personal Marketing
-Place Marketing
-Caused Marketing
-Event Marketing

ELEMENTS OF MARKETING: eg Advertising etc...

Understanding Buyers and Markets
-Consumer Behavior
-Business to Business
-Global Marketing-the new era of shopping online.

MARKETING ENVIRONMENT: TARGET MARKETING
1.Political Marketing: legal Environment
2.Competitive Environment
3.Social/Cultural Environment
4.Economic Environment
5.Technological Environment

MANAGING MARKETING INFORMATION.
MARKETING SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING.
RELATIONSHIPS MARKETING.

-SEARS CATALOG : First catalog ever published

Social Networking: consists of customers surveys/polls etc. Customers being actively involved.

Global Reach: the capabilities of the Internet on sales online.
Personalization:inner activity with customers interaction online.

Intrenet: allows people/employees to surf the companies institutional data-base. Internal Information.

Extranet: a protective network that allows people to join the company's activities.

PRODUCTS DECISIONS
-Product and Service Strategies.
-Category and Brand management, Customer relationship Management(CRM) and One-to-One marketing.

WEB FUNCTIONS:
1.Communication
2.Entertainment
3.E-Commerce
4.Informatiom


CULTURAL INFLUENCES : can be defined as values, beliefs and taste handed down from one generation to the next.
"IT'S WHO WE ARE"

SOCIAL INFLUENCES: "A rich man is a poor man with more money"
-Norms:values and attitude
-Role:behavior of members
-Status:position of relative position

SOCIAL CLASSES: People in one class inspiring others.

-OPINION LEADERS: are the individuals out of a group that tends to go out and purchase things "FIRSTLY."

-FAMILY INFLUENCES: being influenced by family members or through the culture within a family life-style.

5 million for nyc taxi cars

It’s Fall in New York, and Cabs Are in Bloom: 5 million for public art.

Many taxi drivers still do not know exactly why flower decals are being applied to their cars.

Many New Yorkers have been delighted this fall by the florid colors coursing through the city streets. Like real flowers, the petals and pistils painted by some 23,000 schoolchildren flourish in the sunshine. That is thanks to the work done at night by Garden of Transit workers, who coax drivers into allowing the flowers to be applied to their cabs.

Garden in Transit — a project of the community art organization Portraits of Hope, founded by Bernard Massey and his brother, Ed — persuaded the Taxi and Limousine Commission to approve the privately financed $5 million public art program a year ago to mark the centennial of the metered taxi in New York.

FOOTBALL IN LONDON?

NY GIANTS face off the MIAMI Dolphins in London , last weekend, That is a big look for this great American sport and the NFL that English peoole are tring to understand. Well, here was an oppurtunity and yes they supported well.

Lets watch and see how many more games like this will be played oversease.This is a great marketing stragety for the NFL to market this sports outside of America.

McDonalds invested 1Billion dollars in Espresso machine:

McDonalds has just invested 1 billion, yes thats 1 billion dollars in espresso machine. This company is getting 'GASED and CARRIED' away with the feed back of their coffee. My personal view is that is not a good investment, Starbucks Coffee company is bouncing back really hard, for the Winter season and with its very own expansion, there is no way that investment from Mcdonalds with have a significant impact on other coffee companies.SORRY McDonalds- Try to improve on your burgers.

Did you know Starbucks sold 70 million dollars in gift cards last year in 10 days before christmas?

A true gift anyone can use.








Starbucks ready for the chriostmas season, look out for big advertisments from the companys website and Television. The company is really going all out this year.

TIME WARNER PROFITS HITS 80%+
Time warneer is getting alot of supprot in the cable business area , thus resulting in their 80% profit gain.
Rumor has it that Time Warner is trying their best to make all television HDTV by 2010.
Time wraner offer: High speed interned, HDTV, cable, phone service and many more services.

CHRYSLER CUTTING BACK employees

I personally think because of the oil prices and housing industry taking such a big hit lately on the market, auto-makers are forced to cut production numbers or lay off workers. Earlier today, Chrysler announced it would eliminate 11,000 hourly and salaried jobs in the United States and Canada, and cut shifts of workers at five plants. The decision comes on top of a plan, announced in February, to eliminate 13,000 jobs and close a factory in Newark, Del.

THIS CAR GOES FOR 1.3 MILLION, Celebs are going crazy for it.

Lambo is gunning for the top spot in the Italian supercar hierarchy. Lamborghini calls its latest coupe the Murcielago LP640. It's an even higher-performance version of the standard Murcielago. The Lamborghini's name is derived from the engine's configuration -- longitudianle posteriore (LP), or longitudinally mounted in back -- and the V12 develops 640 horsepower at 8,000 rpm.

Starbucks Coffee- After releasing albums by Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, Starbucks' new record label is putting out a disc by newcomer Hilary McRae.
Hear Music, launched earlier this year by coffee retailer Starbucks Corp.
and Concord Music Group, said the 21-year-old singer-songwriter's CD will be released next spring.
"Hilary has a great soulful sound and we are excited to play a significant role in the launch of what will be a long and successful career," Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment.

THIS MAN HOLDS THE FUTURE FOR ELECTRIC CAR
— Shai Agassi, a Silicon Valley technologist who was in competition to become chief executive of SAP , one of the world’s largest software companies, has re-emerged with a grand plan to reinvent the world’s automobile industry around battery-powered all-electric cars.
Others are developing green cars, like the Tesla and Chevrolet Volt. However, Mr. Agassi is not planning to make cars, but instead wants to deploy an infrastructure of battery-charging stations in the United States, Europe