A few weeks back, I mused about what it must be like to be Starbucks right now. Born in an era when being able to afford a $4 cup of coffee was an indication of status, but finding itself in an era when spending $4 on coffee seems a bit imprudent, Starbucks is out of its economic element.

But this week, and not a moment too late, Starbucks' brew has been named the "#1 fast food coffee" by Zagat's survey. "Fast food?" Isn't this award kind of a dig at the same time, then? I mean, Starbucks used to pride themselves at being in a totally different category from fast food places, but I digress. (Full disclosure: this author is a former Starbucks barista.)

Starbucks has wasted no time in unleashing a new ad campaign touting their recent praise. It goes without saying that this is an honor McDonald's would have loved to win, and half expected to.

So this will be interesting. Starbucks' image is badly marred by the price premium associated with the brand. But the thing they've always tried to drive home is that, at the end of the day, they have the best coffee. Will this recognition help Starbucks turn their company around? Will it be the thing they needed to successfully tweak their brand strategy?

We'll see.