Another report was unveiled this week that showed strong negative brand association of Starbucks since the CEO announced his intent to hire 10,000 immigrants.
Shocker, eh?
In January after Trump issued a travel ban on immigration from known terrorist countries, Starbucks’ head barista, Howard Shultz, put out his “deep concern” in a letter to Starbucks Partners titled, “Living our values in uncertain times.”
This sums up the letter:
In the face of recent events around the world, let me assure you that we will stay true to our values and do everything we can possibly do to support and invest in every partner’s well-being while taking the actions that are squarely within our ability to control. This is our focus: providing a Third Place of respite for those around the world who seek it, daily.
Basically, Schultz, a diehard Hillary supporter, is saying, “we will stay true to liberal values” even though the company’s client base spans every political and apolitical demographic.
While Establishment politicians, Republican and Democrat alike, would want to create some new law to prevent persuasive political speech like this, the real solution is to let the free market do its job.
While calls for boycott always end in a fizzle (unless you’re Jesse Jackson and they end with a fat check), the real solution is a simple lifestyle change.
If you’re a devotee of Starbucks but don’t want to reward harmful liberal behavior, here are some suggestions:
Learn how to make GOOD coffee at home: Invest $50 in a French Press and a decent coffee grinder and experiment until you’ve consumed so much caffeine your eyes start to blur.
Too much hassle and clean up?
Cool, I get it.
Go the easy route and buy a Keurig but use this little secret. Keurig K-Cups have the strength of flavored hot water, unless you search the world for the strongest K-Cup in the world.
Your author has done that for you.
Say hello to my little friend: Black Tiger.
While there are strong competitors in this field including “Death Wish” coffee, Black Tiger does the trick and you won’t be disappointed.
And at $.48 per cup, if you make the switch and ride the Tiger instead of hitting Starbucks each morning, you may be able to retire before you die.
And no, I wasn’t paid to plug this brand, but I am totally open to a year’s supply (hint, hint, Black Tiger wranglers).
But seriously, this is how a free society should work.
If you don’t like the behavior of a person, you stop hanging out with them.
If you don’t like the behavior of a company, you stop giving them your money.
Don’t like Starbucks? You can walk away! Your crack-worthy addiction is not brand loyal – you were just comfortable with your caffeine dealer – but trust me there are better people out there.
And note that the “stop giving them your money” tactic applies to nearly all situations.
Want to marry the same sex but your Christian florist won’t deliver to your wedding? Don’t be a dick and go crying to government and courts . . . take your money to the gayest florists you can find and reward them!
Freedom of association is one of the most valuable economic and social tools that we should have at our disposal. Use it while you still can.