http://www.nydailynews.com/starbuck...source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw
Starbucks ends ‘Race Together’ coffee cup campaign with push for forums and new stores
BY Nicole Hensley
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, March 22, 2015, 3:57 PM
Ted S. Warren/AP
The plan to write “Race Together” on cups lasted less than a week, but Starbuck’s plans to continue its campaign with forums and hiring more diverse employees for stores in urban communities.
That didn’t take long.
Starbucks went from pulling the shots on its controversial “Race Together” campaign to pulling the plug on it after only a week.
Coffee mogul Howard Schultz announced the global corporation’s plan to take its baristas out of the race and diversity campaign that included writing “Race Together” on cups, a decision that was apparently part of its plan from the beginning, a memo stated.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Baristas will no longer be writing “Race Together” on cups starting Sunday.
The bold initiative involved slapping stickers on coffee cups, but it drew criticism for being opportunistic in the wake of Ferguson and even inappropriate for a barista to task such a conversation while making coffee.
“While there has been criticism of the initiative — and I know this hasn’t been easy for any of you — let me assure you that we didn’t expect universal praise,” CEO Schultz stated. “We leaned in because we believed that starting this dialogue is what matters most.”
The company has no intention of stopping its initiative, as it announced forums to come and the hiring of 10,000 employees from diverse backgrounds to man new coffee shops in disadvantaged urban communities.
The marketing campaign’s backlash included sarcastic tweets revolving around the #RaceTogether hashtag, but the corporation’s intentions did earn support from one community leader in St. Louis, Missouri. Alderman Antonio French, who has remained vocal on ending racial tensions since the shooting death of Michael Brown, applauded the move.
“The scale of the attempt alone is worth praise,” French tweeted Saturday.
I applaud @Starbucks for attempting to start a dialogue with #RaceTogether. The scale of the attempt alone is worth praise.
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) March 21, 2015
The campaign had a mix of support from Starbucks employees, with some baristas slow to use their stickers during busy shifts or just uncomfortable diving into their personal opinions.
Schultz says this week was “just the catalyst” for the company’s plans and that the “heart of Race Together” is humanity.
“The promise of the American Dream should be available to every person in this country, not just a few,” his memo read.
With News Wire Services.
nhensley@nydailynews.com
Starbucks ends ‘Race Together’ coffee cup campaign with push for forums and new stores
BY Nicole Hensley
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, March 22, 2015, 3:57 PM
- A
- A
- A
The plan to write “Race Together” on cups lasted less than a week, but Starbuck’s plans to continue its campaign with forums and hiring more diverse employees for stores in urban communities.
That didn’t take long.
Starbucks went from pulling the shots on its controversial “Race Together” campaign to pulling the plug on it after only a week.
Coffee mogul Howard Schultz announced the global corporation’s plan to take its baristas out of the race and diversity campaign that included writing “Race Together” on cups, a decision that was apparently part of its plan from the beginning, a memo stated.
Baristas will no longer be writing “Race Together” on cups starting Sunday.
The bold initiative involved slapping stickers on coffee cups, but it drew criticism for being opportunistic in the wake of Ferguson and even inappropriate for a barista to task such a conversation while making coffee.
“While there has been criticism of the initiative — and I know this hasn’t been easy for any of you — let me assure you that we didn’t expect universal praise,” CEO Schultz stated. “We leaned in because we believed that starting this dialogue is what matters most.”
The company has no intention of stopping its initiative, as it announced forums to come and the hiring of 10,000 employees from diverse backgrounds to man new coffee shops in disadvantaged urban communities.
The marketing campaign’s backlash included sarcastic tweets revolving around the #RaceTogether hashtag, but the corporation’s intentions did earn support from one community leader in St. Louis, Missouri. Alderman Antonio French, who has remained vocal on ending racial tensions since the shooting death of Michael Brown, applauded the move.
“The scale of the attempt alone is worth praise,” French tweeted Saturday.
I applaud @Starbucks for attempting to start a dialogue with #RaceTogether. The scale of the attempt alone is worth praise.
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) March 21, 2015
The campaign had a mix of support from Starbucks employees, with some baristas slow to use their stickers during busy shifts or just uncomfortable diving into their personal opinions.
Schultz says this week was “just the catalyst” for the company’s plans and that the “heart of Race Together” is humanity.
“The promise of the American Dream should be available to every person in this country, not just a few,” his memo read.
With News Wire Services.
nhensley@nydailynews.com
