Apparently Starbucks has hired the woman in the video in the Santa Cruz thread as a marketing consultant:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/18/ ... customers/Starbucks Baristas Encouraged To Write ‘Race Together’ On Cups To Spark Dialogue On Race Relations With Customers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – Starbucks is joining the national conversation about race in the latest sign that corporations are trying to tie their brands to big social issues.
The coffee chain known for its Frappuccinos says it will elaborate on the plans at its annual shareholder meeting Wednesday in Seattle.
Already, workers at its U.S. stores have been told to write “Race Together” on cups to begin a dialogue with customers about race relations, 1010 WINS’ John Montone reported.
Reaction among customers and workers at the Starbucks in Times Square was mixed.
“I like the idea,” customer Rudolph said.
“That’s pretty heavy for morning coffee talk,” said customer Dustin.
Pedro, a regular at the location, said he and Leo the barista chat all the time, but not about social issues.
“We talk about motorcycles, we talk about other things we can’t talk about on the mic,” he said.
Lexi, a barista, said she thinks writing “Race Together” on cups is “a great idea,” but she likes to keep it “short and simple” when engaging customers in conversation.
“I wouldn’t go as far as talking about something like that to customers, I don’t know what they might feel,” she said.
When Montone approached a barista to begin a dialogue she responded, “I’m actually working right now, OK, so I’m sorry about that, no comment.”
The company also plans to start publishing “conversation guides” on the topic.
The decision has sparked a backlash on social media, with people saying it’s opportunistic for a coffee chain to try and inject itself into such an important issue.
To be honest, had I not heard about this, I would have thought if I saw "race together" written on my cup that it was some kind health message; encouraging people to take up running with a friend...
Apart from the sheer ridiculousness of thinking that anybody would want to get into some sort of heavy polemic with their barista while picking up their morning caffeine fix, it seems to me this is also a very unfair work requirement for the employees..
I don't mean requiring them to write "race together" on the cups; Starbucks could have them write "fuck you" on the cups if they thought that would be a good marketing strategy...
But requiring them to take time to engage customers in a socio/political discussion, that has nothing to do with their job duties...
And on top of that, instructing them on what they are supposed to say about the subject: "The company also plans to start publishing “conversation guides” on the topic."...
)
(It's happened to me at the supermarket more than once...)
