Posted on 03/17/2015 6:51:47 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
For the most part, large, publicly traded companies shy away from emotionally charged social issues, recognizing it is safest to take a neutral stance. But this week Starbucks has stepped out onto a ledge with its newest public campaign, which may be its riskiest yet.
Starbucks is tackling race relations in the country.
The company is not thinking small. Starbucks took out a full-page ad in the New York Times Sunday that reads "Shall we overcome?" in the center with "Race Together" at the bottom of the page. The ad may have cost more than $200,000.
While this is not the first time Starbucks has taken on an emotionally charged issue, it could be the most controversial the company has tackled. Starbucks is putting its reputation and bottom line at stake on a topic that is one of the most divisive issues in the U.S.
"To be honest there were people that said, this is not a subject you should touch. This is not for you, this is not for a company, this is for someone else," Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a video message to employees. "I reject that. I reject that completely because we can't leave this to someone else."
Starbucks has been successful because executives, employees and customers have "taken it personal," Schultz said, and he isn't going to stop now.
There's no doubt addressing the topic could be controversial for Starbucks. But the company has had an outpouring of support for its past civil rights campaigns, and faced possibly the most criticism when it initially refused to take a stance on gun control.
Starbucks has been holding employee forums across the country to discuss race relations and even held a public forum in a Seattle store with Seattle police officers about race relations. Schultz is encouraging baristas everywhere to write "Race Together" on coffee cups to start conversations with customers.
Starbucks has a partnership with USA Today for the "Race Together" campaign. The newspaper will distribute information sheets nationwide as part of the deal.
Guess I better not order my coffee ‘black’ any more?
Yea sure, they really want to talk about the large problem with racism in the black community?
Cue the tough discussions of half and half.
You best not or LaKisha will beat you down then sue you and the restaurant.
They could hire some illegals. Why just the other day I saw one of them in
an auto parts store, he was the only one in there at the time and told me he
didn't speaka English. How mush more diverse is that! He looked like he had just
rode in on a burro from Honduras. I'm not kidding.
“because we can’t leave this to someone else.”
A coffee company????
Maybe they should tackle world peace while they are at it.
#BlackCoffeeMatters....
Apparently if you ASK your barista about the “Race Together” logo on your overpriced cup of burned s***, then he/she will engage you in dialogue on racial issues in America.
Otherwise they ain’t sapposta get in yo face on race.
My daughter was a barista and was treated very well, one of their youngst managers before turning 20.
After watching her stint there, one discovers that Starbucks is not selling coffee. Starbucks sells pseudo-friendship. All the baristas have fan-bases who talk to the customers and are like a corner bartender.
My daughter received at least 15 invitations to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and during her barista time, we could not go out to dinner or lunch on the town without a number of her fans coming over to say hello.
These fans had really no interest in my daughter, but instead she provided a connection so sorely lacking in many lives. Someone who is happy to see you, knows your name and asks after you.
So some people come to their Starbucks 2 or 3 times a day for connection with “their” barista.
On some level this reminds me of the onion-peeling scene in the Tin Drum.
LOL!
Tackling race relations/honest conversation about race ALWAYS means-—how can whites devise new ways to kiss the butts of minorities.
” Starbucks sells pseudo-friendship. “
People have always gone to coffee shops for ‘pseudo-friendship’. Especially if the waitress is pretty and friendly.
Agreed, Starbucks sells it 1200 stores strong.
No, nuclear disarmament .... that’s a job for Starbucks.
People have always gone to coffee shops for ‘pseudo-friendship’. Especially if the waitress is pretty and friendly.
I think the same sort of thing happens in diners and restaurants and bars, where staff and regular customers become acquainted, and see each other on a regular basis.
Human connections are all good. We all need that. But sad to think some people’s lives are so empty, that their big human connection is getting a Starbucks everyday.
I’ll just stick with Tim Horton’s or brew my own, thanks.
“No, nuclear disarmament .... that’s a job for Starbucks.”
Fantastic idea!
Starbucks baristas can head to Iran right now and start dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
And then they can head to Iraq and start handing out free coffee to ISIS members; ISIS members will surely then all lay down their weapons and become agents for world peace.
Hmmmm; think I’ll start singing the Beatle’s Imagine right now....
If I want Starbucks I wait for the ground stuff to go on a clearance sale at the Supermarket
Fine. When they decide to get back to being a coffee company again, I may or may not decide to patronize them. Social justice warriors can kiss my sorry butt.
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