Starbucks gets a new logo

It is 2011 after all, and Starbucks is first to jump the "new brands of 2011" boat! Starbucks had some financial problems in 2008 and 2009 but with the founder, Howard Schultz, back on board as CEO, Starbucks might just start something new.
Starbucks Coffee company was always about that "third place," for any average consumer. First place is home, and second—work. For many years Starbucks has been trying to get people in and out in the mornings, and make them come back and stay in the evenings. There was even a heavy investment in music, movies and book products, but the economic hill was too hard to climb with only coffee as the main source of income.
So for their 40th year anniversary the logo shed some type, complexity and "logoness." Starbucks went simple, clean and minimal. Something that is not really part of their overall brand. It is a wise move from a stand point of financial future of the company. It now allows Starbucks to drop "coffee" and broaden their creative field.
I think Starbucks have a great community of people, very creative people, people who have strong opinion of American culture of coffee lovers. Starbucks is now part of that pop culture and has to adapt and learn. For its future, Starbucks will continue to focus on coffee, but expanding their digital media, partnerships with few cool companies, and expansion overseas is something I definitely see coming.