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Starbucks to yank topless mermaid logo from cups
May 19th, 2008, 11:08 am · 40 Comments · posted by Nancy Luna, Staff Writer and Blogger
When Starbucks introduced its smoother Pike Place Roast in April, the cafe giant hoped the new brew would be all the chatter among java junkies.
Instead, controversy has erupted over the topless mermaid logo plastered on the cups that the new Starbucks brew is served in. The so-called brown heritage logo is, ahem, a tad more revealing that the regular Green Giant logo.
The heritage logo shows a few tresses covering the two-tailed mermaid’s breasts, while the green logo shows hair cascading down over a G-rated body.
Starbucks said the topless mermaid logo, currently used in all hot beverage cups across the United States, will be yanked soon. 
“We will be returning to the standard green logo in a few weeks. Bringing back an updated version of the original logo is a way to celebrate our heritage and bring a little piece of Seattle to our stores across the country,” the company said in a statement.
*However, Starbucks said the removal of the sultry mermaid is not in response to the recent boycott of the logo by some conservative groups. “The heritage logo was always planned to be in use for about eight weeks in celebration of the Pike Place Roast launch,” the company said in a statement.
The brown logo will continue to be used on Pike Place Roast packaging, the company added.
The original Starbucks logo was created in 1971 to capture the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders. The mermaid mascot is based on an old sixteenth-century Norse woodcut of a two-tailed mermaid. When the company was first founded, the brown color was meant to portray “the rich, brown coffee color” served by Starbucks.
*updated at 1:25 p.m to reflect additional response from Starbucks
Tell us:
May 19th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I think Starbucks should worry less about their logo and concentrate more on their coffee. I use to be a devotee of Starbucks from the time they opened their first LA location across from Beverly Center; however, over the years their coffee tastes much weaker than it use to. Now I’m a fan of Peet’s Coffee - but I still like Starbucks Passion Ice Tea (no water).
May 19th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I think the problem might be more about the wide open spread “legs” then the exposed breasts…?
I personally don’t really care, I don’t think it’s offensive, it’s a drawing of a mermaid for crying out loud. But someone has to think of the children! They may be scarred for life!
May 19th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
While I think the new brown logo is tasteless…. as a Christian, there are much more important issues to deal with in our culture…. to spend time on this logo in the form of a boycott is a bit ridiculous…..c
May 19th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Those conservative groups seriously need to get a life!! who notices this things…someone who does not have a life!! ay ay ay!!! Drink the coffee and move on!!
May 19th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I just think the new picture is/was hideous.
May 19th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
::rolls eyes:: parents have to worry more about what their kids see in today’s society than a picture of a mermaid…..pick and choose your battles…this is one of those why bother…
May 19th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
That logo is how i like all my women
Legs spread and topless!
May 19th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
This is just stupid! I say “More Boobies!”
A boobie is a terrible thing to waste!!
May 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I think Starbucks should worry more about the attitude of their baristas first. I was a 2x a day Starbucks addict for 4 years but have recently (the last couple of months) started drinking McDonalds coffee bc it’s fast and cheap. The McDonalds people are at least forced to say have a good day, with Starbucks you always feel like an inconvenience to the baristas.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Who cares??? Don’t you have more important things to worry about?? Get a life then. If you don’t like the darn logo, then don’t go to the store. Pleeze…….
May 19th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Its not that the logo was racy, its that the brown logo was just ugly.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Boobies are good.
Radical zealots are bad.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
There goes our freedom of speech.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
In today’s society people are so much more open minded than years ago. What I think is that too much of an open mind will hurt our kids future. I notice in today’s society that more and more younger females that want to be bi sexual. What the heck is up with that? Again- I think it’s the open minded person that has gotten way out of control. As for the Coffee Cup Starbucks has to show some class here. Get rid of it.
May 19th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Bummer never noticed. Is my tank top still allowed in church?
May 19th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
People don’t seem to get that the logo isn’t new. It’s the original logo and color, and Starbucks is using it, and the Pike’s Place Roast as a tip of the hat to where it all began for the company.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
You know, until I read this article, I never gave the Starbucks logo a second look. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you there is a lady in the circle. I’m fairly certain impressionable children had a similar lack familiarity.
Now that someone made a big deal out of it, a million teenagers are probably Googling “Starbucks topless logo.”
The mermaid mascot link at the end of the post is very interesting. It shows a history of the Starbucks logo over the years.
It seems to me Starbucks has been evolving the logo with prudish sensibilities in mind. Isn’t that enough?
May 20th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Its a conspiracy against women. The media can’t stand a woman for president and neither on their coffee cup.
Kelly
Orange
May 20th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Forget the boobies — what’s up with those legs?
In the voice of Chandler from “Friends”…. Could they BE spread any wider?
May 21st, 2008 at 9:12 am
FFC:
LOL….. I LOVED Chandler from Friends..
May 21st, 2008 at 10:59 am
Pitiful. What a waste of everyones time/energy/passion.
If the religious zealots and right wing nuts had their way all breasts would be removed at birth (they’re dirty, you know) and all pregnancies would be virginal…or artificially inseminated only by approved eunech technitions. None of that nasty intercourse stuff would be allowed.
Grow up. Get a life.
Half the world has breasts..and the world is a better place because of them. If you have extras time and energy, use it getting rid of the thiefing politicians…not the boobs at Starbucks.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
this debate is ridiculous. people should have more important issues on their mind.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I can not believe that anyone cares about what some religious nuts think. These people will always find sin or make it a sin so that they can feed there own need for causing greef. Remember if God wanted you naked you would of been born that way.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
As we all cast about looking for reliable ways to be sure our children will have life-long emotional problems, we should not overlook an opportunity to ensure they NEVER become comfortable with their own bodies.
Why do we so often let sick people deliver their sickness to our own children. We MUST protect our own children from these nut cases.
Who are they and how can we do a better job of combating them? How about if I promise to increase my purchases from Starbucks by 50%?
Money doesn’t talk, it screams! I say let’s have a reverse boycott!
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm
What will people worry about next? Your logo is tasteful and meaningful and should not be pulled. As a nudist park owner, we get a fair amount of “stuff” we have to deal with (zoning, permits) that are really important. Then there is stuff like your logo. You need to get with the Skinny Dip beer people, Naked Drinks and the like to say you are just part of life and advertising and have some coffee and put your feet up.
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Being from Seattle I’ve been drinking your Coffee for years. We are now living in Tampa and find that your lack of guts to be what’s offensive, not the Mermaid.
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Why the hell would I buy coffee from anyone who seems to subscribe to the idea that there’s something wrong with breasts???? Half of the world has them. Seems like a BAD marketing strategy to me. The survey bears that out.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Good Grief…Charlie Brown….
Parents let kids watch movies with people getting killed with chainsaws—(that is truly sick) but they can’t stand a little mermaid breast… a mirmaid on a coffee cup.
May 24th, 2008 at 11:57 am
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May 26th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I’ve always loved visiting the original store in Pike Place Market. I always wished that the old logo would be used instead of the new one. I was thrilled when I seen my son walk in the door with the brown logo a couple of weeks ago!
I’m a loyal Starbucks customer with a duetto visa card!
Thank you Starbucks for all the humanitarian efforts that you are envolved in. Thank you for seeing that the coffee farmers of the world are dealt with directly and fairly.
Wonder if any of the “weak offended” people ever took the time to notice all that Starbucks does for the planet? As for the logo, it is hardly nudity. And even if it was, children are not emotionally effected by it! So,relax everyone.
May 29th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I have also heard that some sitcom characters have become pregnant out of wedlock. This should be another important ground for conservative groups to be concerned about.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Would that be called a “tuna shot:”?
June 6th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
you can’t even be serious that this is an issue. What has our world come to that this is anything to be concerned about. Come on.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I call them Chastity Pariahs. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen the movie. They’re a bunch of real preservatives! I think they have mommy suckling issues.
How embarrassing for them and for America that the world reads about them. I guess they have to earn their jewels on their heavenly crowns somehow. This is probably the only way they think to do it.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:02 am
How about more affordable coffee?
July 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
[…] start with free wi-fi serviceTopless mermaids at Starbucks & not-so-sexy ads at Carl’s Jr.Starbucks to yank topless mermaid logo from cupsJapan’s Famima convenience store opening soon in O.C. & bangers coming to Fresh & […]
July 5th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
This is the most ridiculous issue ever. Next thing you know they will have the mermaid wearing a t-shirt instead. Starbucks needs to worry about their coffee going to $hit and the service.
July 6th, 2008 at 10:27 am
lol at the Radical Zealots are bad comment! If it weren’t for the “Radical Zealots” I dare say we might not be here as a united states!
I am a Christian, and I have no problem with the logo other than it is really ugly! Why they would want that on a cup is beyond me.
July 11th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Well, I suppose that if the mermaid wore a “GoDaddy” t-shirt, it wouldn’t be so bad.
July 26th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I’m not offended, but I do think it’s ugly. They could have at least made it a pretty mermaid.