Starbucks Cupgate
As the holidays draw closer, the dust seems to be settling on the whole Starbucks Holiday Cupgate.
You know, the whole “debate” over the “removal” of holiday imagery on Starbucks Winter-themed cups. We’re not here to net out on any side of that argument. But we did notice something interesting.
Many in the Christian community were upset over the change in imagery on Starbucks’ holiday drinks. The horror! Over the years, the cup’s designs became more simple and bold (and the mermaid less revealing). This of course, means that imagery depicting the sights and sounds of the #holidays needed to be removed in the name of simplicity. What once was a#Winterwonderland turned into a simple artistic statement that represents the whole gamut of holiday cheer.
Some Christians felt that the removal of certain Christian images, like #Santa, was a direct conflict with the company’s values — or more accurately, their values. What happened next was a string of articles, pundits, and viral videos discussing the change. Many Christians were against the decision and planned to boycott the brand. Regardless of what you think, the change struck a chord with the audience. And when that happens, businesses need to pay attention!
Many people chose to profit off of this (media and those who were seeking attention), yet, NOT ONE company decided to profit off this in a REAL way.
We don’t think Starbucks meant to upset the Christian community. But, they left the door wide open for any Christian company to take advantage of the situation.
Any savvy owner of a Christian coffee company could’ve punched above their weight class. Imagine being able to take a swing at arguably the biggest coffee chain on the planet? It wouldn’t have taken much. While news outlets were looking to create stories about the debate, literally, ANY Christian coffee company could’ve stepped up and made bank! And perhaps the reason why this opportunity wasn’t straddled was in good taste. If so, it’s completely understandable. Although it would’ve been great to see a Christian coffee company do something creative and timely.
It wouldn’t even need to be a coffee company. It could’ve been a coffee shop. Or restaurant. Or even a church or nonprofit.
The point is, a large market felt they were being short changed. As smaller companies struggle against giants, often there are few chances to catch them with their pants down.
If Hammer + Nail was working with any company that would be able to step up to the challenge, we would’ve loved to craft the story with them. We would bring back#holidaycheer, #sharing, and of course, all the #magicmoments that happen over a cup of #coffee.
As a company of many religious beliefs, we understand how much faith means to some people. We understand that for some, the holidays are a very important time. And as hard-working New Yorkers, we understand how important coffee is!
The biggest takeaway for us is that this situation could’ve been a HUGE win for a small company. By leveraging the values Christians hold dear and supporting a passionate community, a smaller brand could’ve had a David & Goliath moment.
We saw a lot of vocal Christians using this as an opportunity to skewer #Starbucks. Instead, we would’ve loved to see some business-savvy Christians see this as an opportunity to grow their business and support their faith.
Opportunities like this don’t happen often. It takes quick thinking to turn situations to your favor. And it’s one of our strengths.
Observing 2015 to conquer 2016…Hammer + Nail. Plain + Simple
