Starbucks recently announced it will serve regional wine and beer, starting in its home city of Seattle. In an experimental trial, the company renovated a store in Seattle’s busy Capitol Hill area and stocked it with new beverage offerings as well as a selection of local cheeses. In addition to the new menu, the barista bar has been rebuilt to seat customers closer to the coffee.

USA TODAY mentioned that the revamped store looks less like a Starbucks and more like a cafe that’s been part of the neighborhood for years. Muted color palettes, dim lighting and an overall low-key design seem to contradict the entire Starbucks brand.

From the bright green logo to the unique language spoken when ordering drinks, Starbucks has always distinguished itself from other coffee shops. Why then after years of standing out, would Starbucks want to fit in?

Scott Bedbury, marketing chief for both Starbucks and Nike in the 1990s, told USA TODAY that evolution is critical for Starbucks and that wine sales could bring in “latte-like” profits. “Brands have to evolve or die,” he said. “It’s a tall order. But if anyone can pull it off, it will be Starbucks.”

Bedburry is not alone in thinking evolution is critical. Other brands such as Belk underwent major changes this year. For now caffeinated customers across the country will have to wait and see if Starbucks stores in other cities will get a makeover similar to Seattle. I wonder if wine will come in Tall, Grande and Venti sizes?

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Picture this. It’s been 69 days since the accident. TV viewers are waiting patiently to see the first rescued miner’s face. He reaches the surface. The rescue capsule is opened. Audiences worldwide look to see his expression and can’t escape the “O.”

If you’ve missed the story on the Chile Miners rescue, check out the details here. This story and the facts about the rescue are remarkable, but what’s really fascinating from a brander’s perspective is the opportunity that Oakley took to illustrated product placement at its finest.

After being underground for such an unimaginably long period of time, the miners needed protection from ultraviolet light when they reached the surface. Conveniently, a Chilean journalist recommended Oakley to the Chilean private health insurer, and the rest is history.

Oakley donated 35 pairs of sunglasses (listed for $180 each on Oakley’s website) to the Chile miners. As a result of their strategic generosity, CNBC reported that the company has received $41 million in equivalent advertising time through the news media coverage of the rescue… Talk about a return on investment.

Oakley has hit gold for their brand image. It’s a win-win. To consumers, the brand comes off as charitable for donating and dependable for being a brand that Chile officials trusted to fully protect the miners. For Oakley, the amount of exposure and revenue from this perfectly positioned helping hand effort will be immeasurable.

Contributed by: Ashley Hollingsworth

When Frito-Lay launched a biodegradable SunChips bag, eco-friendly snack eaters cheered! But, it seems as though those cheers were drowned out by the 100% compostable bag’s noisy packaging material. After about 18 months, declining sales and negative consumer feedback, Frito-Lay is pulling the loud snack bags from shelves and returning to the former, quieter bags which cannot be recycled.

While the new bags are undoubtedly louder and a little annoying, is 10 seconds of noise while you open the bag really that big of a deal? It is according to over 44,000 Facebook fans of the “Sorry But I Can’t Hear You Over This SunChips Bag” page. I guess the bags weren’t as loud as they thought if Frito-Lay heard their complaints.

The SunChips brand centers around health and nature. Their website promotes a “healthier you” and a “healthier planet.” SunChips boasts that it is committed to environmental sustainability and changing the world. While removing the bags seems like a step in the opposite direction, USA Today reports that the company is working on creating a new, quieter eco-friendly bag.

Though I’m all for compromise, I think consumers should consider that the sounds of garbage trucks taking the old bags to the dump, or the sounds of children running into the kitchen for a snack are far louder than new bags themselves.

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Growing up in the South, Belk department stores have been a shopping staple. When I was young, I remember going to Belk with my grandmother and thinking it was so fancy. Just look at its logo. It’s cursive. That’s the ultimate in fancy to a seven-year-old. But I’m not seven anymore and while I love a good Belk sale, it seems too old for me.

But the traditional image of Belk is no more as it rebrands and gets ready to unveil its new, modern logo and tagline: “Modern. Southern. Style.”

This new strategy is a big departure from the image of Belk many people my age have in my mind. And, it’s a great move. Major department stores like Macy’s have regularly updated its image through major advertising campaigns with high profile celebrities.

According to the Charlotte Observer, shoppers in key markets for Belk can expect to see changes as early as Nov. 1. The new look and feel will do a lot to refresh the image of this Charlotte-based chain. And if you’re reading this Belk, this is so exciting I think a month-long Customer Appreciation mega sale is in order, especially here in Charlotte.