Watch out for mixed messages

Katie Samol | The Chronicle

The other day when I received my order from Starbucks, for the first time ever, I noticed a handwritten note on my brown bag. “Have an awesome day,” the note read. This made me smile. Did an employee simply decide to do that? Or was there a deeper reason?

Starbucks is bringing back handwritten names on their cups as of this February and in addition, at many locations baristas are expected to write personalized messages on cups or bags. 

Last spring, customers were called to boycott Starbucks due to its alleged association with Israel throughout the war in Gaza. On October 9, 2023, two days after the conflict between Israel and Gaza began, Starbucks Workers United published a now-deleted post on X declaring its solidarity with Palestine. This prompted Starbucks to file a lawsuit against the union for trademark infringement, arguing that the union’s use of the Starbucks name had angered customers and damaged its reputation. Additionally, Starbucks employees struck in December 2024 due to unfair labor practice charges that had been unresolved since February 2024. 

When the Starbucks app is opened, you are greeted with a screen that reads, “The Starbucks Coffee Company”, a name that makes the megacorporation seem more personal and genuine than it is. Along with a new bring-your-own-mug policy and the return of the in-store condiment cart, these policy changes are part of a new “Back to Starbucks” initiative. 

When I heard about these initiatives, I could not help but be suspicious. Yes, some of these policies are genuinely making a positive impact. Reducing waste with reusable cups and uplifting customers with notes on their cups and pastry bags is great, but why now? What has changed for these policies to be put into place?

The strategy was launched by Starbucks’ new CEO, Brian Niccols, who has previously improved revenue at Chipotle as their CEO. 

“There’s a shared sense that we have drifted from our core,” Niccols said in a message published on the Starbucks website when he took over as CEO in September of 2024. He explains that Starbucks’ experiences have become transactional and primarily online ordering based, that they are “refocusing on what has always set Starbucks apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather.”

But did that ever really set Starbucks apart? And is this the deeper underlying motive of the policies? We should not forget Starbucks’ actions and priorities.

This is Starbucks, a company worth $127 billion. They may be making an effort to make Starbucks more genuine again, but they are not the Seattle coffee shop they once were. Is this the company we want to be supporting? 

It is easy to be susceptible to marketing when brands try to manipulate our perception of them for their benefit and financial gain. That is the point of marketing–it is manipulative to grab our attention and get our business. These policies act as a reminder that we should not forget companies’ underlying motives and the ways in which they influence us. Remain critical of marketing. 

When we see an ad or a new change in a big business, we should ask ourselves why they are doing this and not allow ourselves to be influenced by marketing tactics.