In case you were wondering about the Engrishy title of this series, “Let’s Merry” is the Starbucks Japan campaign slogan for the seasonal drinks. Update: AND the slogan for the Starbucks US holiday campaign?! Really?
Image from starbucks.co.jp
In Japan, there’s cranberry white mocha （クランベリー・ホワイト・モカ) or frappuccino (クランベリー ホワイト フラペチーノ), gingerbread latte (ジンジャーブレッド・ラテ) or frappuccino (ジンジャー ブレッド フラペチーノ), and toffee nut latte （トフィー・ナッツ・ラテ）and frappuccino [トフィー ナッツ フラペチーノ] (and instructions for a light version called “bitter toffee nut latte” [トフィー ナッツ ラテをビターな味わいに]).
Image from starbucks.co.jp
Meanwhile, in the US, the seasonal flavors are Gingerbread Latte, Peppermint Mocha, and Caramel Brulée Latte. I honestly thought that “Let’s Merry” was a Japanese campaign, but now I see that the original English is actually “Let’s Merry.” Is this some sort of lesson on Baudrillard and simulacra courtesy of Starbucks?*
Image from merry.starbucks.com
Rest assured that I will figure out how to concoct a gingerbread latte myself because I’ve had only one this season and need to figure out a cheaper and lighter way to make it. On the other hand, proceeds from these six holiday drinks purchased in Japan between December 1-25 go toward earthquake relief efforts. Maybe that warm, fuzzy feeling isn’t just from the coffee…(or from the use of an awesome sociology class.)
Note
*These would be the successive phases of the image:
- It is the reflection of a basic reality.
- It masks and perverts a basic reality.
- It masks the absence of a basic reality.
- It bears no relation to any reality whatever: it is its own pure simulacrum. (Simulacra and Simulations)
More “Let’s Merry!”
Introduction
Food/Drink: Cookie Tea
Music: “Little Taiko Boy”
Food/Drink: Mochi Rice
Culture: Decorating
The Lobster Dance 
They’re using it in the States too for no apparent reason. Makes my eye twitchy.
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Thanks for the tip! I updated the post, but I’m shocked the US has picked such an weird slogan for the holiday campaign. Really, Starbucks?
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Well, people were already rampantly using nouns as verbs (why the hell use “inbox” as a verb when the word “message” already exists, isn’t that much longer, and doesn’t make it sound like you’re asking someone to punch you!?) so I guess adjectives were next, ahaha.
That said, slogan language often includes word play. E.g. “Real. Comfortable. Jeans.” (Wrangler I think) or “SHIFT [various nouns]” (Nissan).
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Ahahahaha, and “message” isn’t a verb either. FAIL
It’s all downhill from here.
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I guess it would be less weird if it didn’t sound like Engrish–I swear “Let’s [noun/adjective/a good number of verbs]!” just sound so translated. Not to mention the homonym of “let’s marry” (and I can’t hear the difference because I am Midwestern by birth). Such a weird campaign.
How do you use inbox as a verb? “I inboxed it”? “Inbox me”? I mean, I label things as “inbox” when I need to read them again, but that’s different.
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[…] Comments « Let’s Merry!: Let’s Merry! […]
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The cranberry white mocha is a favorite of mine! Goes very well with some strawberry cheesecake Kit Kats.
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