Cappuccino, Croissant & CDs

Todd Chanko | November 03, 2004, 11:48 AM

Last week I was in LA, moderating a panel at Jupiter’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) conference. One of my panelists founded a company called “Burn-a-Song” which aims to deploy kiosques in retail and other environments that allow consumers to burn their own CDs. The New York Times reports today that Starbucks has announced deployment of such a system on a bigger scale. However, the Times isn’t quite getting the story right. “Initially, Starbucks will face the task of trying to sell customized CDs to an age group that has not embraced downloading.” Well, we’re not talking downloading here. We’re talking burning, and judging from the high-tech types who seem to have way too much time on their hands lounging around in Starbucks’ comfy chairs, my bet is they get the concept just fine. Given the over-priced coffee chain’s success in positioning itself as a life-style centre, I think their chances are quite good.

Of course, the DRM implications are simple – like any other burned CD, I can turn around to my equally cool friend with her laptop and let her burn my tracks. Starbucks may inadvertently create a subculture anathema to the music industry – big spenders on coffee that see the over-relaxed environment as a perfect place to drink coffee and share tunes.