Much happened with Starbucks in 2008.  Howard returns as CEO. Starbucks slows its U.S. growth. A "Transformation Agenda" is in progress. Starbucks began pruning by closing 600 locations. The company was diagnosed with "Brand Amnesia." Two Starbucks-created websites are hoping to make stronger connections with customers. The company tested a $1-dollar cup o' joe. On the opposite price end, Starbucks has committed to brewing a more expensive cup of joe. McDonald's smells blood given the growth issues Starbucks is facing.

I've been dissecting all these Starbucks-related issues on my Brand Autopsy blog. If you want to get my latest riffs about Starbucks, read the Brand Autopsy blog. Every couple months I will update TribalKnowledge.biz with links to these riffs on Brand Autopsy.