Starbucks Quotes Stir Controversy

[taranaki]

"The Seattle coffee chain has raised some eyebrows over its "The Way I See It" campaign, which prints quotes from thinkers, authors, athletes and entertainers on the side of your morning machiatto. The goal, according to the company, is to foster philosophical debate in its 9,000-plus coffeehouses.

The problem, critics say, is the company's list of overwhelmingly liberal contributors, including Al Franken, Melissa Etheridge, Quincy Jones, Chuck D. Of the 31 contributors listed on Starbucks' Web site, only one, National Review editor Jonah Goldberg, offers a conservative viewpoint.

Considering Starbucks sells millions of cups of coffee each day - some specialty drinks at $4 and up - it's no surprise some customers have complained to Starbucks' Web site, labeling the campaign "offensive" and the company a proponent of "the destruction of family values and virtues."

http://web.mit.edu/cms/bcc/2005_03_0...e_archive.html


....................are all of the authors listed anywhere, or is the writer simply trying to make a story out of what he can cobble together from the company website? And what has the price of the beverage got to do with whether or not you are 'offended' by the quote on the cup?

Seems silly to me. If 'Starbucks sells millions of cups of coffee each day', it comes as no surprise that there is the odd wacko complaining that a few quotes on the side of cups are part of "the destruction of family values and virtues.".

Are ordinary conservatives that scared by alternative opinion that they consider it to be in some way responsible for the ills of society? And when did the 'family values' that the complainants are so hellbent on protecting include sitting on one's ass in an over-priced coffee shop complaining about paper cups....?

If 'family values' are your thing, put down that latte and go have a cup of instant at home with your kids.Maybe if you listen to them, you might become a more rounded person.

[fredjacksonsan]

Idiots. They're all idiots. If you don't like a company for whatever reason, patronize another one.

Better yet, I like your advice 'Naki, drink your coffee at home, and STFU.

I'd like to put something more pithy here, but don't have the time. Idiots!

[BNaylor]

Isn't this old news? I don't drink the crap let alone read what is on the cups so I could really care less about it.

But you have to admit that Starbuck's Howard Schultz is a marketing genious.





http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...rbucks29m.html

[Kurtdg19]

You know of all the times i've been to starbucks I've never read any of the quotes printed alongside of the cups...kinda think of it, I've never paid attention to even notice them

As long as the quotes don't change the taste of the coffee I don't think i'll have a problem spending another 4 bucks

I agree with naki, I think its very possible that its just another desperate journalist trying to take advantage of the current political tension between the D's and R's with this wildly imaginative spin on the 'motives' of starbucks "The Way I See It" campaign.

Who knows, maybe theres a Democratic National Committee on the sixth floor in the Starbucks Headquarters....

[highteknology]

its obvious that Starbucks is just using these sayings to jack the prices up even more for the ink spent on printing the quotes. somehow, i still manage to pay the price though

[Toksin]

Never bought Starbucks, don't plan on it.

[03cavPA]

Starbucks is overpriced and over rated.

[00accord44]

Why should I be any more offended by a quote on my coffee than I am at seeing that ugly chick on the Wendy's bag?

[highteknology]

Originally Posted by 00accord44

Why should I be any more offended by a quote on my coffee than I am at seeing that ugly chick on the Wendy's bag?

at least the Wendy's girl has pigtails (aka handlebars)

[Jimster]

Meh, I'd rather read the crazy facts on the side of Up & Go Energise, I'm not going to pay $5.70 for pisswater coffee when I can get a far better coffee elsewhere for 2/3 the price.

[Ian Szgatti]

on one hand you say the person shouldnt complain about the comanies campain, and on the other you complain about the others campain...if its your right to have an opinion, isn't it self defeating to imply the complainee has no right to complain? well, you do have a right to an opinion right? man this is so confusing!

FYI, starbucks is retarded

[03cavPA]

Originally Posted by Ian Szgatti

on one hand you say the person shouldnt complain about the comanies campain, and on the other you complain about the others campain...if its your right to have an opinion, isn't it self defeating to imply the complainee has no right to complain?

I believe it's called cognitive dissonance.

[Ian Szgatti]

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

I believe it's called cognitive dissonance.

i dont even know what that is

[taranaki]

Originally Posted by Ian Szgatti

FYI, starbucks is retarded

I don't know quite why, but this statement makes you look very silly, and I laughed out loud when I read it.

Thanks for the laugh.

[Ian Szgatti]

Originally Posted by taranaki

I don't know quite why, but this statement makes you look very silly, and I laughed out loud when I read it.

Thanks for the laugh.

i'm kinda retarded too though... so whatever