Start a Conversation on a Cup and Make a Memory

I think coffee is one of Mother Nature’s gifts to humanity.   I am not a huge coffee drinker myself, but I enjoy it when I do have it, and when I don’t there are many other ways to enjoy coffee.  And if one thinks about it, coffee is a global phenomenon.  It is a life style for many.  It supports economies all over the world, I mean coffee really is an amazing thing.  Coffee is experienced by people from many aspects of their lives; from the growers to the producers to the distributors to the retailers to the consumers.  We are connected by the simple bean.

From a consumer perspective, Jackie Chan once said, Coffee is a language in itself.

And I kind of understand that because there is a whole subculture around coffee.  It is an experience for many and to some even a lifestyle.  Think of all the different types of coffee beans there are:

And then think of all the different kinds of drinks that are made from coffee.

I grew up in a household of coffee drinkers and the distinctive smell of coffee always brings me back to my home in Colorado though I have long left there for the California coast.  While the environments are vastly different one thing that I will always remember is the smell that coffee. It gives me a vivid memory of those early days in my life.  I remember when Hugh Jackman said, “the smell of fresh-made coffee is one of the greatest inventions.”

I can identify with that too.  In fact, I have heard that the sense of smell is probably more connected to your memory than any of our other senses.

I think Starbucks has picked up on this coffee thing in a big way, and they are changing how people think about coffee. Howard Shultz, the CEO of Starbucks has said, “Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee.”

It is no wonder he feels the way he does given the success of the company, and the ability of Starbucks to engage consumers, not just with coffee but with a whole host of issues that matter to them.  They start a lot of conversations.  Their Christmas cup is even a big deal.

So what does this mean to me and Penless.  Shortly after I downloaded Penless, I discovered a lot of ways I could use the Penless stickers to make a memory or start a conversation.  Often I will talk with my friends as we stand in line at Starbucks.  We talk about a whole host of things from politics to sports to friends we know.  Some time ago I picked up a cup of coffee for Janice, and I had a sticker with me.  She couldn’t be with us because she had a publishing deadline to get out at work.  So rather than just excluding her from the conversation, Penless made her a part of the group, and we made a memory with her.  Now when we go out to get coffee, everyone wants me to bring a cup back. Last week I got a Penless message on my cup of coffee from someone.  It is a bit of a tradition now and again.  So don’t waste another cup without a Penless Message.  I guarantee it will make a difference.  With next cup of coffee, you deliver, make a memory or just start a conversation with Penless Messaging, the only app that can write a message onto a QR code, and then you can share it with a friend.