Experience and Authenticity

I dislike Starbucks coffee. I've drank it a couple of times and found it tasty. It's not that I'm trying rebel against this perceived trend or some protest against those that like their coffee customized with twenty option. No. I don't agree with the price; I mean it is just a cup of coffee. Perhaps my taste is dull, perhaps I'm just stingy or simple about what goes into a cup of coffee: milk, a bit o'sugar and coffee strong enough to wake a battalion, thank you sir.

I recently watched this video from TED and it got me thinking. For those of you that don't know, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. The brightest people from these areas meet every year and exchange ideas, which often lead to new innovations. The gentleman proposes that we are witnessing a move to the next level in our economy; we are moving from a service oriented economy to an experience oriented economy. Doubters may say that this is simply an extension of the service economy; I haven't made up my mind, but he does bring up good points.

Why would a person pay $7 for a cup of coffee no different from one at the local gas station? They're not paying for the coffee, but rather the authentic experience of drinking a customized Starbucks coffee. If you were to ask that same person that bought their twenty option coffee from Starbucks, if they would pay for the same cup of coffee at a Starbucks imitation, they would probably tell you to jump off a bridge. The desire for an authentic experience is what people are willing to pay for.

So for all you people that are willing to pay for your $7 coffee and authentic experience, enjoy. I'll stick with my authentic $.07 instant coffee. Cheers!