Mug Shot — «Joe, a Coffeehouse Magazine - Premiere Issue June 16, 1999»

City: Starbucks Headquarters Country: USA Edition: Limited Edition Belongs to: 2 users (0 trading, 6 seeking)

From a news article of 16 June 1999:

Joe Debuts at Starbucks Retail Locations and Online; New Cultural Magazine Inspired by the Coffeehouse Tradition.

Joe, a magazine inspired by the coffeehouse tradition of conversation, community and culture, goes on sale today exclusively in Starbucks stores across North America. Excerpts are also available for viewing online at www.joemag.com. Joe, which marks Starbucks debut in the publishing world, is produced under a joint agreement between Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX) and Time Inc. Custom Publishing.

The Joe editorial team is dedicated to publishing great writing about anything covered by the magazine's tagline: Life is interesting. Discuss. Showing its ambition, much of the premiere issue of Joe takes an unusual, edgy, many-angled look at a fundamental issue in human relationships: trust. To create a playful relationship with readers, two distinct versions of the cover were created for this launch issue. Bringing the idea of trust to life, the two covers depict a man and a woman talking to one another in a setting evoking the 1940s, but using 90s cellular phone technology.

In addition to the print magazine, beginning today, customers can visit www.joemag.com where they can view excerpts of the magazine content or hear authors and poets read their work. The launch of joemag.com is a piece of Starbucks emerging Internet strategy.

Other comments:

In Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's mind, however, his baby is heir to the great European coffeehouse tradition of the 18th century, when latte-sippers helped foment the French Revolution in Parisian cafes and Isaac Newton dissected a dolphin in a London coffeehouse. Thus, Starbucks' 1996 attempt to sell the paper version of Michael Kinsley's wonky paperless magazine, Slate.com. And its 1997 attempt to sell Oprah's Book Club selections.

Both efforts bombed -- Starbucks probably would have had more success selling dolphin frappuccinos. Even so, it remained convinced its customers were latent bibliophiles, and in 1999 it introduced the quirky and eclectic Joe magazine, which emphasized ideas and fine writing rather than celebrity profiles and lifestyle trends.

"Starbucks customers are interested and curious and a perfect audience for a magazine that explores the important, the beautiful, the funny and the provocative," said managing editor Scott Mowbray at Joe's premiere. Joe lasted only three issues. The www.joemag.com url is still for sale.

  USA, Starbucks Headquarters

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