It’s back. No, it’s not the impending Arctic winter, nor is it the high-stakes election season. It’s bigger than that. It’s the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, a call to girls everywhere to bust out their vests and Ugg boots. It’s officially fall, everyone.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte, affectionately referred to as the PSL, was placed back on the Starbucks menu on September 2nd, signaling the beginning of the autumnal season. It’s more than a drink, however, it’s a cultural phenomenon. “The fanaticism for Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte is extraordinary,” says Vice President of Starbucks Global Marketing Alexandra Wheeler. To think that a beverage could initiate the arrival of an entire season is astonishing, a marketing strategy practiced by Starbucks since the beverage’s inception. Using its incredible brand power, Starbucks was able to associate a healthy portion of the year with a blend of coffee and seasonal flavors. The cultural phenomenon that is the PSL is remarkable.
To celebrate the beverage’s return this fall, Starbucks created a new twitter handle, @theRealPSL, which now has more than 56,000 followers. Since August of 2012, there have 29,000 tweets with the hashtag #pumpkinspice. A “Spot the Spice” game online gave devotees the opportunity to access the beverage a week in advance by whispering the secret password in the ear of their local barista. People actually line up a week early to get a blend of coffee. This only serves to demonstrate the marketing power of Starbucks and its astonishing influence.
So what exactly is in a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte? Starbucks’ website lists espresso, steamed milk, fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, and most importantly “pumpkin flavored sauce.” The beverage clocks in at 380 calories in the grande size when two-percent milk is used, but it can max at 510 calories for a venti. Food blogger Food Babe, however, asserts that there is in fact no pumpkin in the latte, substituted instead by artificial flavors and a huge dose of sugar. Allegations concerning the beverage’s nutritional value have not stopped its incredible cultural influence, however, and the PSL is still Starbucks’ best-selling seasonal beverage.
Of course, to examine such a cultural phenomenon, I couldn’t just base my opinion on numbers. I had to do field work. So I bought myself a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
My first sip was extraordinary. It tasted somewhat like liquid pumpkin muffin batter, an incredible concoction of spices and pumpkin flavor. A took a few more sips and my taste buds were bombarded by the taste of seasonal spice, including hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. I drank more, amazed but no longer surprised by this incredible power of this beverage. It was out-of-body. That is, until I had taken too many sips. Eventually, the taste of the beverage was overpowered by the settling of it in my stomach; it felt like I had actually eaten a large bowl of pumpkin muffin batter. I took more sips, trying to convince myself that it was me who was wrong, that my stomach and taste buds were committing some act of social dissonance in a spiteful attempt to fight against the all-consuming cultural phenomenon of the PSL. However, I simply couldn’t do it. In sad lament, I threw it out, half-full. Realistically, I feel bad for myself. It’s not the beverage’s fault; the huge following behind it is indicative of its deliciousness and addictive properties. I, however, was unable to enjoy it to the fullest extent. I was missing out on the wonder that is the PSL. Maybe some day I’ll go back and try again, maybe next time with more espresso or more cinnamon.
Though my experience with the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte was less than optimal, its incredible cultural influence demonstrates the marketing power of the coffee company. It’ll only be around for a few more months, so to all you devotees, drink up.
http://foodbabe.com/2014/08/25/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/
http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/pumpkin-spice-latte#size=183887&milk=67&whip=125