Many java drinkers do not realize that when they are choosing where to get their cup of coffee, they may be making a demographically influenced decision, professors and students said.
Although Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks offer the same products, some say there are differences between the Massachusetts company and the Seattle franchise.
“Brands are statements about what we believe in and the types of persons we are or were or wish to become,” said Susan Fournier, a marketing professor in Boston University’s School of Management, in an email interview.
Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are on or near BU’s campus, although Starbucks has five close locations and Dunkin’ Donuts has three.
This disparity demonstrates the advance Starbucks has made in a state that has been a Dunkin’ Donuts stronghold since the first store opened in Quincy in 1950.
“With [more than] 30 stores in the city of Boston, we’re proud to be a part of the community and of the connections our partners [and employees] have made with our customers,” said a Starbucks spokesperson in an email. “Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers, and we look forward to continuing to serve the Boston community.”
The companies, however, target and attract two distinct clienteles.
“Brands are bundles of meanings, and students will gravitate to the brand that captures meanings that the student wants or needs,” Fournier said. “Some students will drool over the chic and implied class and excess luxury of Starbucks, while others will want the drink of the Everyman, [or] Dunkin’.”
A number of BU students said there are differences between the two coffee companies and what they appear to offer.
“It seems like Dunkin’ is more the layman’s coffee while Starbucks is more expensive, and it’s more comfortable to sit down,” said College of Communication senior Alexa Moraif.
Starbucks provides a more comfortable atmosphere, so they appeal to more wealthy consumers, Moraif said.
“I’d say that Dunkies is more for the working man where it’s just get in, get your cup of coffee and you go compared to Starbucks where you have all the time in the world to sit there and customize it and get flavor shots and all this different crap,” said COM senior Kaitlin Urban.
In March, the research firm PhaseOne ranked Starbucks the number one most socially engaged company.
“If they’re that good at social media and they cater to college students who are at the forefront of social media, I think that goes hand in hand,” said COM sophomore Morley Quatroche. “It’s a perfect correlation.”
But College of Arts and Sciences senior Aaron Jeffrey Landau said the same person might choose to go to Dunkin’ Donuts if they are in a rush or pick Starbucks if they are in the mood to relax.
“I think we’re making these statements saying that it’s a certain demographic,” he said, “but I think they just serve a different purpose for the same demographic.”
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