Starbucks is Stupid...Dunkins Donuts is Ingenious - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Yesterday my beautiful hunk of Detroit steel needed new tires and an alignment fix, thus I was forced to hole up in Dunkin Donuts for a couple of hours. As I sipped my blueberry coffee (yes, I pollute my coffee on occasion) and gazed upon the bright but not too bright Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins ice cream shop color scheme, it hit me again: Starbucks is stupid and Dunkin Donuts is ingenious.

Don't get me wrong. I love Starbucks! I became addicted to the "bucks" after a stint there in college. From then on, I've taken great pleasure in converting friends to the glories of the true fruit of the bean. But, as you may have heard, Starbucks is hemorrhaging money like a wounded animal. In fact, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz recently returned as CEO in hopes of righting their cash cow.

In a nutshell, Dunkin Donuts--which sells 40,000 cups of coffee/week--is succeeding because they keep trying and remain humble. New product rollouts, discounts, fun promotions, and brilliant marketing that pokes fun at Starbucks, all conspire to build group identity and loyalty among their customers. Not so with Starbucks.

Even when I worked at Starbucks way back when, they were arrogant. They discontinued frequent shopper cards because "Starbucks is a premium brand." Affinity groups were unnecessary. Four dollars was a bargain for a latte. And forcing customers to pay T-Mobile for in-store internet access was part of the privilege of being a Starbucks customer. Then their stock tanked, free-falling from a high of nearly $40/share in May, 2006 to yesterday's close at $17.99.

I hope you know what this cautionary tale has to do with your ministry or Christian business.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is extraordinarily clear: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14) The Psalmist chimes in likewise: "You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty." (Psalm 18:27) As with the Apostle Peter: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." (I Peter 5:6)

Think about yourself and your ministry or Christian company. Are you trusting God or are you arrogantly enjoying the successes He's brought your way and congratulating yourself for the same?

Proverbs 28:26a tells us, "Whoever trusts in himself is a fool." Where is your trust? Is it in Christ Jesus our only Hope? Or are you reveling in your own greatness?

If you're arrogant, repent. If you're legitimately seeking Christ and for His Spirit to work through you to exalt the Father and expand His kingdom, then pray that He keeps you on the straight and narrow.

Tomorrow I'll discuss the watering down of the Starbucks brand and core offerings and their implications for your ministries and Christ-centered businesses.