This is the twenty-seventh day of a 30-day trial. Follow the link to Marketing Ideas En Masse to find out more.

Billboards are shooting up everywhere taking shots (espresso) at Starbucks. In Western Washington (home of Starbucks) hundreds of these billboards are beginning to appear even right next to Starbucks.

McDonald’s has erected a billboard in sight of Starbucks headquarters declaring, “four bucks is dumb.”

If Dunkin’ Donuts’ taste test commercials were the schoolyard equivalent of blowing spitballs at the coffee giant from afar, then the latest from McDonald’s is like pulling a wedgie. Starbucks employees driving northbound can see the billboard on their way into the city.

Another billboard slogan jabs, “large is the new grande.” The two phrases are displayed on 140 billboards in Western Washington, some of them near Starbucks cafes.

It is pretty clear that Dunkin’ Donuts’ and McDonald’s Coffee are taking stabs at Starbucks market share (even with Starbucks Gold Card Marketing Strategy) . I have to wonder how the economy plays in people’s quest for better deals. Starbucks is on the pricey side and personally I think their coffee is plain and bland. I would much rather go to my neighbor Ristro Coffee or Dunn Bros. Coffee in Fargo.

Related posts:

1. Starbucks Adding $1 Coffee to its menu, the new VIA Ready Brew
2. Marketing Tactic: Scarcity and Reward
3. Newspaper Marketing Ideas, Appeal to Your New Customers
4. Anti Teen Smoking Marketing Campaign
5. T-shirt Marketing Ideas, Interview with Jason from @iwearyourshirt