Since the debut of Starbuck’s Pike Place blend, I had no idea that the purveyor of designer coffee used suggestive imagery to market their tasty brew! Apparently WPTV.com is reporting the mermaid logo used in the gorgeous sepia tone updated packaging has caused a California-based Christian organization to boycot Starbucks Coffee. The current retro-style Starbucks shows a mermaid with partially exposed breasts. The San Diego-based Christian group also says it looks like a naked woman with her legs spread. I thought to do a little Wikipedia research on the origin. The logo, posted here, comes from a 16th century Norse woodcut of a two-tailed mermaid. In 2006 this vintage design used for hot drinks incited an elementary school principle to ask the teachers to cover up their morning cups so that the classic artwork would not scare their student’s sensibility. I hadn’t realized the siren logo used in The Pike Place promotion was even re-worked and still ignited the boycot. Knowing all this, I think the coffee tastes even better!
