Editor’s note: this is the first in a series of Point/Counterpoint entries that present differing views on a single topic.

The coffeehouse giant’s new ad campaign launched this month, along with a Twitter twist. Posters featuring a burlap sack design and the tagline “It’s not just coffee. It’s Starbucks” will be put up in select major cities. Starbucks is challenging people to scour their cities for these new posters, then be the first to post a photo of one on Twitter. The campaign aims at telling the story behind the quality of the coffee and apparently is the biggest marketing effort the company has ever undertaken. The ads come at a good time since every other commercial on the radio or TV is for McDonald’s McCafé drinks.

But knowing that Starbucks selects only the best 3% of beans and roasts them until they pop twice — is that really going to make consumers pay a few more bucks for each cup of joe? That is, consumers who aren’t already loyal “Starbuckers”. All coffee isn’t the same, but in these tough times we’re really trying hard to convince ourselves that it is in order to save a few bucks. Not so sure the quality argument will win the coffee race in 2009. But then again who am I to talk? I don’t even like coffee that much.