Starbucks gets political in full page newspaper ad
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Starbucks calls for unity in dual full-page ads.
Starbucks is fanning the political fires again with two full-page ads appearing in both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal today.
In a short essay, the coffee chain rails against the divisiveness in America wrought on by election coverage and calls for people to remember the things in life that foster unity.
“When you read the headlines. Or turn on the news. When you scroll through your social media feed. Or listen to the candidates. You could easily mistake America as a nation, lost,” the ad begins.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Today, for just a moment, we wanted to pause and reflect. To go beyond the hatred and vitriol, and see a different story of America.”
The true story of America, according to Starbucks, can be found in teachers working to better their students’ lives; in volunteers helping youth and veterans; and those “who work to include, rather than discriminate.”
“This is not about the choice we make every four years. This is about the choices we make every single day,” the ad concludes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz expressed this sentiment yesterday while talking at the chain's annual meeting of shareholders.
The second page features two lists of words in black and white—the first list spouts negative words like “division,” “cynicism,” and “fear,” which some have noted as words used to describe Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The second list contrasts the first column with generally positive attributes like “unity,” “optimism,” and “love.”
On Twitter, many are praising the ad:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But some say it doesn’t go far enough when it came to talking specifically about the election.
Schultz has yet to endorse a presidential candidate this year but has not been quiet about his political views in the past. He supported President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012.