Hasta La Creative!

It looks like ING Direct wants to be Starbucks. The financial institution is expanding its high-tech coffee-cafe banking model to New York and Honolulu. Patrons at ING cafes in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and a few other markets are already served Pete’s coffee and pastries (and given the chance to buy ING-branded merchandise!) while bathed in the glow of plasma screens flashing news about the bank’s products and services. Given ING’s recent results, I’m not so sure I’d trust its financial advice. As for emulating Starbucks, well, that company’s doing even worse. These days, the green tea latte might be its only asset even close to the color of money.

—Posted by David Gianatasio