When Habit Becomes Marketing: A Lesson From India’s Snack Counters and Starbucks
I noticed something quietly fascinating while observing everyday food habits in India.
Local snack counters inside co-operative societies operate without branding, advertising, social media, or marketing campaigns. There’s no logo, no signage strategy, no influencer push. Just a small window, fresh chapatis, karak chai, and people lining up at the right time—every day.
Yet everyone knows:
- where these counters are
- when to visit them
- and which ones are “good”
From a marketing lens, they succeed without trying to “market” at all.
Their advantage is simple:
- they exist exactly where people already are
- they show up consistently
- and they become part of a daily routine
Now compare that with a global brand like Starbucks.
Starbucks relies on strong visual branding, curated store experiences, loyalty apps, storytelling, and always-on campaigns. Everything is intentional, designed, and measured.
Different methods. Same outcome.
Both succeed because they create habit.
The snack counter does it organically—through presence and reliability.
Starbucks does it systematically—through modern marketing frameworks.
One doesn’t tell stories.
The other tells stories constantly.
But both depend on the same fundamentals:
- visibility
- repetition
- trust
This raises an interesting question for marketers and founders alike:
At what point does good placement and consistency become marketing?
Perhaps marketing doesn’t always start with ads or campaigns. Sometimes, it starts the moment a product becomes something people don’t have to think about anymore.
And when that happens, marketing stops being loud—and starts being effective.
The snack counter does it organically—through presence and reliability.
Starbucks does it systematically—through modern marketing frameworks.
One doesn’t tell stories.
The other tells stories constantly.
But both depend on the same fundamentals:
- visibility
- repetition
- trust
This raises an interesting question for marketers and founders alike:
At what point does good placement and consistency become marketing?
Perhaps marketing doesn’t always start with ads or campaigns. Sometimes, it starts the moment a product becomes something people don’t have to think about anymore.
And when that happens, marketing stops being loud—and starts being effective.
