Starbucks cups to come with a political message in D.C.
NEW YORK (AP) - Starbucks is using its coffee cups to jump into the political fray in Washington.
The world's biggest coffee chain is asking employees at cafes in the Washington, D.C., area to scribble the words "Come Together" on cups for drink orders on Thursday and Friday. CEO Howard Schultz says the words are intended as a message to lawmakers about the damage being caused by the divisive negotiations over the "fiscal cliff."
It's the first time employees at Starbucks cafes are being asked to write anything other than customers' names on cups.
While companies generally steer clear of politics to avoid alienating customers, the plea to "Come Together" is a sentiment unlikely to cause controversy. If anything, Starbucks could score points with customers and burnish its image as a socially conscious company.
This isn't the first time the coffee chain is using its platform to send a political message. In the summer of 2011, Schultz also asked other CEOs and the public to stop making campaign contributions until politicians found a way to deal with a crisis over the debt ceiling that led to a downgrade in the country's credit rating.
For the latest push, Starbucks is taking out an ad in the Washington Post on Thursday showing a cup with the words "Come Together" on it.
The "fiscal cliff" refers to the steep tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect Jan. 1, unless the White House and Congress reach an agreement to avoid them.
As for whether customers will be confused by the "Come Together" message or understand that it's related to the fiscal cliff, Schultz said in an interview that there's wide public awareness about the negotiations and that Starbucks will use social media to explain the effort. The Seattle-based company says test runs at select stores showed operations wouldn't be slowed.
Schultz says the message is a way to underscore the damage being done to the "consumer psyche and behavior" by the talks. Although he says Starbucks sales haven't been affected, he points out that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO Mike Duke warned that fears over the fiscal cliff could cause Americans to pull back on holiday spending. Early figures have shown a relatively weak shopping season.
As for the negotiations, Schultz isn't taking any sides on the issues of tax increases or spending cuts.
The world's biggest coffee chain is asking employees at cafes in the Washington, D.C., area to scribble the words "Come Together" on cups for drink orders on Thursday and Friday. CEO Howard Schultz says the words are intended as a message to lawmakers about the damage being caused by the divisive negotiations over the "fiscal cliff."
It's the first time employees at Starbucks cafes are being asked to write anything other than customers' names on cups.
While companies generally steer clear of politics to avoid alienating customers, the plea to "Come Together" is a sentiment unlikely to cause controversy. If anything, Starbucks could score points with customers and burnish its image as a socially conscious company.
This isn't the first time the coffee chain is using its platform to send a political message. In the summer of 2011, Schultz also asked other CEOs and the public to stop making campaign contributions until politicians found a way to deal with a crisis over the debt ceiling that led to a downgrade in the country's credit rating.
For the latest push, Starbucks is taking out an ad in the Washington Post on Thursday showing a cup with the words "Come Together" on it.
The "fiscal cliff" refers to the steep tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect Jan. 1, unless the White House and Congress reach an agreement to avoid them.
As for whether customers will be confused by the "Come Together" message or understand that it's related to the fiscal cliff, Schultz said in an interview that there's wide public awareness about the negotiations and that Starbucks will use social media to explain the effort. The Seattle-based company says test runs at select stores showed operations wouldn't be slowed.
Schultz says the message is a way to underscore the damage being done to the "consumer psyche and behavior" by the talks. Although he says Starbucks sales haven't been affected, he points out that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO Mike Duke warned that fears over the fiscal cliff could cause Americans to pull back on holiday spending. Early figures have shown a relatively weak shopping season.
As for the negotiations, Schultz isn't taking any sides on the issues of tax increases or spending cuts.
Nothing like a 5 dollar mocha.Â
Why did'nt he" come together" before he sold our Sonics He's a fraud.simple as that
Get over yourself, Schultz!
I guess that's OKAY. At first I thought they were going to ask "red cup or blue cup"....
Come Together huh? Okay, give Lennon and McCartney their money now. ;) (or whoever owns the rights to the songs these days.)Â Seriously yeah, just a dumb marketing ploy as if Starbuck's doesn't have enough people buying their overpriced coffee already!
He isn't the brightest star in the sky. The last thing this country needs is to give in to the looters.
It's more than what we're doing about it. Give him a break, he doesn't have to anything, but he is.
A great way to put your name in the news for free. Â Free advertisement is free.
Ridiculous, why don't you focus on reducing the price of your beverages? Â
@pacnorthwest Why reduce the price of the coffee? Have you seen their drive thru windows? 4 cars deep every time I drive by one.  The goal isn't to minimize prices but maximize profit and they are doing that very well.
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now - let's get our country working together to resolve the issue and end the silly posturing
Howard I would like on my cup BRING BACK OUR SONICS.
Advertising ploy.
If Schultz was serious about this he would have closed down every Starbucks inside DC and around DC for 50 miles until our childish government can finally play together like the adults we pay them to be. But this would mean a drop in sales and as any democratic or republican CEO can't stand no matter the good it might do is a drop in sales. Hail the almighty dollar, why do you think he is doing this in the first place?
I just want them to make me a strong ass cup of coffee! None of this "blonde" stuff.Â
Not sure that the cups are the best advertising medium, but have to agree that they need to "come together". Seems that the prevaling attitude from both sides is that "THEY" need to "Come on over to OUR side"
Until someone becomes offended that they are being used as a political pawn, good luck to those Starbucks employees who decide they will engage in Howard's bidding.Â
Maybe the weak shopping season at WalMart has more to do with the fact that they are an awful company and the general public is getting tired of supporting them. Especially when you can get just as low of prices as Safeway, Target, Amazon.com, Old Navy and lightly used stuff on eBay.
@Julia   This is true.
               I also think that there is a small percentage of the public that are just plain tired of the commercialism of Christmas. I gave non-physical gifts this year. Movie tickets, Mariners tickets, etc.
I also agreed with much of my family to donate to great organizations instead of giving.What do I NEED ? Not much. Spend a month working in an orphanage in Mexico and your list of needs changes.
I beleive that he ended up dumping his whole non-contribution idea.
We/politicians/leaders need to start thinking and planning in 50 and 100 year chunks.
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Calling this a failure on either side of the isle is silly. Let's really be honest, a politician is a politician no matter Dem or Republican. We keep electing the same House and Senate and then complain when change doesn't happen. The fiscal cliff is our own fault.
It's a great Beatles song...
As far as political messages go by corporations, usually a bad idea, but this seems pretty safe. Not taking a side, just telling these morons in DC to get their act together. I think everyone can stand behind that message no matter your political bent.
 @dg54321 Put obama is a failed leader and the GOP will not work with a failed leader
iRace -Â "Put obama is a failed leader and the GOP will not work with a failed leader"
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Ah, yes... The standard right wing mantra...  If it's from Obama, it's a failure (or he wasn't the one that did it... Even Osama's death was only because Bush made it possible because of what Bush put into motion...)
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I truly am embarassed by the one sided, short term vision of the right.Â
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Obama is not the greatest evil to come to this planet.
Obama is not the 'worst President ever'
Obama is not the utter failure that is claimed by the right.
Obama is not considered to be the 'messiah' and other foolish titles used by the right to describe what the left thinks he is.
Â
What Obama is:
At the very least a decent / average President
has succeeded at least as much as any average President
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The 'we told you to hate him' mantra from the leaders of the right wing / Republican party have really got you to drink so much of the koolaid that you can't see reality when it comes to politics.
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It's sad.
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@FormerMarineSgt One sided, short term vision of the left. Agreed! Alot of things are progressive, cancer for one; one could argue Hitler made progress on his plan before he was stopped. My point is look at the broad brush you are using to paint the right. I am on the right, far right and never said or believed any such thing. I dont have a problem with the left, I think the two balance the boat. I have a problem with idiots like Reid using comments like "dead on arrival". Wish I could go on but break is over.
@scychan --
that's about as foolish a comment as those being spewed by the right wing extremist clowns.
While there is no doubt that Bush did alot of stupid things, I doubt that he was the worst President.Â
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It's time to stop the stupid over the bullsnot that people spew everytime they disagree with someone.Â
@scychan  What an ignorant comment.
 @FormerMarineSgt No one worse than Bush ! Already in
the U.S.History book.
 @iRace Way to "come together" and try to find a solution (rolling my eyes). It's attitudes like yours that are the problem to begin with and why baristas are scribbling "come together" messages on paper cups. Oh well. It sounds like those who just want to play the blame game will never change so why waste our breath.
 @Julia No matter how well intended, this latest idea from Starbucks will surely backfire.
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It doesn't matter what the message is or if there is no message at all. There are far too many people in this country whose programmed response to EVERYTHING is anger and hatred. They look for reasons to feel offended.
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We've all run into them out in public. Something as innocent as the barista telling them "to have a nice day" when she hands them their coffee will send them into a tailspin. They are lost, scared little people who thrive on making sure everyone around them is as miserable as they are. Don't waste your time interacting with them.
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 @iRace  @dg54321 again, division...how are you helping anything at all with this attitude. Your candidate had an equal chance, and the majority of the country re-elected President OBama. We elect our leaders to work "together" for the greater good.
@dentalgirl57 @iRace @dg54321 True, but the people left the same house and senate pretty much in tact. It seems to me that the House of "Representatives" could not have stayed as is without some Democrat and Independent votes, and the President could not have been re-elected without some Republican or Independent votes, pretty much the same for the Senate. I think the majority do not want one all powerful branch or party, regardless of which one it is. Maybe people want some of Obama's social programs balanced by fiscal restraint of the Republicans. You are right about division, there is enough to go around for both parties.
 @dentalgirl57  @iRace  @dg54321 I can agree wholeheartedly with working together but what exactly would that mean for DC?
 @iRace Personally, I think the GOP is a failure just like Obama/Democratic Party....neither have any real solutions, just more posturing and fake vitriol while they laugh off camera to each other about how stupid people are for embracing a 2 party system as they light their cigars with 100 dollar bills and watch us plunge over the cliff.
Consumers, employers and investors are all turned off by uncertainty. Figure it out, D.C.!
how about cut the dam budget and you employees put the wrong message on the wrong customer will you give a refund bad move in a divided country
 @armor then lets agree that in a country this size, everyone is not going to agree and we need to "come together" and communicate and work to get things done in this country. Maybe then we can start to heal this division...united we stand, divided we fall.
Really? I tell you what Howard Schultz, you can take your political message and shove it up your roster! I just want a cup of coffee, I will find a new place for my morning coffee! - Zca
@iRace -- based on some of your other posts, I'd hazard a guess that if the cup said something like 'Impeach Obama' or 'bend over and take it Obama', or a more santized version 'Negotiate Obama, by giving in to everything that the Republicans want' - you'd be happy as a clam with that political message....
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 @iRace How is "come together" upsetting to you? You are happy with the current gridlock? You haven't been in a Starbucks in years anyway I'd lay odds.Â
 @justsaying Hi ID10T,
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I don't need any crap when I want my coffee, thank you
@iRace @justsaying  Nothing says, "Hi, I'm in high school and can't make my point without name calling" than calling people "lD10T." I almost didn't realize that you were using both numbers and letters there. Very clever, these kids.Â
@iRace I hope you feel better
 @iRace  @justsaying no crap, don't read the cup...or just associate the message with the lyrics of an old Beatle's song lol
Does anyone read the cup ever? I just care that they got my order right...
 @SouthofSeattle Nobody needs to read it, it is just free advertisement via the great media of the USA.
@SouthofSeattle - that's the funny part. Nearly no one ever reads the cups.
 @FormerMarineSgt  @SouthofSeattle When on the rare occasion, I do get coffee from Starbucks, I do read the cup. I am still trying to find the ingredients that make it so expensive.