How Starbucks got me in the Christmas mood
Last week I ordered a coffee at Starbucks and the barista asked for my name as usual. Since my name is not a common name in the Netherlands he asked me to repeat and I responded with “Ludo, the bad guy” refering to a popular Dutch soap opera where the villain is named Ludo. In a populair persiflation he always introduced himself as “I am Ludo, the bad guy”. The barista did not get the joke (probably not a soapie) or he just did not think it was funny, but he asked for my name a third time and I told him a third time (“L-U-D-O”).
Slightly irritated I waited for my coffee wondering if I was not speaking loud enough or if my standard joke wasn’t as funny as I thought. (maybe it works better with women barista’s was my conclusion..)
But then I received my coffee and it made me laugh. It wasn’t a fancy Christmas-soy-milk-pumpkin-spice-chocolade-sprinkled-Christmas-blend coffees but a regular cappuccino, but still: it was Christmas in (on) a cup!
My name was misspelled. The red Christmas-cup had the name “Ludolph” on it in stead of “Ludo”
I laughed and I shared. On Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (#overshare, I know..)
So it worked. The barrista irritated me at fist, but made a great check-out experience. And that is what it is all about and what you remember long after finishing the coffee.
I remembered the Youtube video about Starbucks barista’s misspelling names on purpose. What many people who talke to me about the video do not realize is that this is a parody. Paul Gale who made this is a comedian and filmmaker. But maybe my barista did have a sence of humour and watched this film. Or maybe I just did’nt speak loud enough…
