This Day Starbucks #RaceTogether Campaign Backfires (2015)
Apr 3, 2025
In 2015, Starbucks launched a controversial initiative, aiming to initiate conversations about race through its #RaceTogether campaign. The idea? Baristas would write the hashtag on coffee cups. However, the campaign faced instant backlash, highlighting the challenges of tackling deep societal issues in a fast-paced environment. The discussion dives into the broader implications of corporate activism, questioning whether such efforts can create real change or merely serve as performative gestures. Tune in for an engaging analysis of this marketing misstep!
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Context of Race Together
- The Race Together campaign launched during the Obama era, a time of techno-optimism and corporate-friendly policies.
- It reflected a belief that corporations could solve social issues, like Uber solving transportation.
Hypocrisy of Starbucks
- Kelly Carter Jackson criticizes the hypocrisy of Starbucks promoting racial conversations.
- She points out their all-white male boardroom as a sign of lacking internal diversity.
Conversations as Solution
- The campaign reflected the Obama-era belief that conversations could resolve social conflict.
- This assumed a shared understanding and goals, hindered only by miscommunication.