This is the story behind the logo, according to the official Starbucks blog. Although, but it’s still as clear as mud.

Let’s go all the way back to 1971, to when Starbucks was first coming to be.

In a search for a way to capture the seafaring history of coffee and Seattle’s strong seaport roots, there was a lot of poring over old marine books going on.

Suddenly, there she was: a 16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed mermaid, or Siren.

There was something about her – a seductive mystery mixed with a nautical theme that was exactly what the founders were looking for. A logo was designed around her, and our long relationship with the Siren began.

Over the last 40 years we’ve made some changes to that identity. Now we’re doing that again, to keep ourselves relevant as we evolve without ever losing sight of our heritage.

But the Siren has always been there. She is at the heart of Starbucks.