Marketing Mishap: Starbucks' "Deadly" Cookies

For the second year in a row, something dramatic has happened at your local Starbucks just in time for the holiday season…MURDER!

Okay, well, not really, but if you buy one of Starbucks’ snowman cookies, you’ll see what I mean. You see, last year, Starbucks offered a polar bear-shaped cookie with a red scarf tied around his neck. The problem, I realized then, was that if you started eating your cookie by breaking off Mr. Polar Bear’s head, well, the red scarf made it seem like blood was dripping from the poor creature’s neck. Cue PETA.

This year the polar bear is MIA, but in his place is a frosty cold snowman also featuring a…wait for it…blood red scarf. And, sure enough, if you pop off the snowman’s round, frosty head you’re left with a crime scene.

Now, if it weren’t so disturbing, I might have thought they did it on purpose: I mean, decapitated snowmen would be a funny inside joke for those with a twisted sense of humor who just so happen to love coffee, as well. Unlike last year, however, Starbucks’ new cookies also feature a purple scarf, which makes one wonder if they’re aware of their ‘bloody’ misstep or not. At any rate, I have one suggestion: stick with the purple scarf, Starbucks…but thanks for the laugh - it might not have been the “holiday cheer” you were hoping to provide, but I sure enjoyed it (as has everyone I’ve told).