Setting the Bar Low

This week I read an interesting article about Cumberland Farms, a New England change of gas stations/stores and their coffee. The article details the company's newest marketing approach, specifically, how they go head to head with "coffee giant" Dunkin Donuts.  It seems that in blind taste testing between the coffee they serve, and Dunkin Donuts Original Blend, 50% of the drinkers chose Cumberland Farms, or had no preference.


From the article:


“We couldn’t be happier with the results and feedback from this taste test, and it proves our longtime belief that you don’t need to sacrifice great taste to get an affordable cup of coffee,” Cumberland Farms CEO Ari Haseotes said.

http://dailycoffeenews.com/2015/01/09/coffee-purveyor-promotes-blind-taste-test-with-a-50-percent-failure-rate/

Really? 

Now, I've not had the pleasure of trying the Cumberland Farms coffee. Typically I get gas station coffee if: 1) I have only 99 cents in the bank, or 2) I need some bad coffee to slap me awake. Yes, I understand DD coffee is a God in this region, though that mystery still alludes me. But let's take a look at the findings again. 50% said they EITHER preferred the Cumberland Farms or had NO preference. That's a win? 

Mr. Haseotes has set the bar a bit low for his coffee. How much do you want to bet the number of drinkers that preferred his company's coffee was 15%? Now, maybe it's just me, but I would think you would want your product to do better than 15%-50%? This isn't standardized testing after all.

I may need to check out this coffee, and maybe do my own test taste. Hmmmm.......

Charlie