Starbucks thinks members of Congress should “come together” to reach an agreement before the country plummets off the edge of the so-called “fiscal cliff.”
In an effort to send a message to the US government, the coffee giant is asking its Washington-based stores to scrawl the words “Come Together” on the company’s cups. According to Reuters , Starbucks fanatics should see the term written on beverage containers this Thursday and Friday.
Chief Executive Howard Schultz hopes the message will reignite “fiscal cliff” negotiations . Discussions reportedly fell apart prior to the Christmas holiday.
Schultz said during a recent telephone interview:
“We’re paying attention, we’re greatly disappointed in what’s going on and we deserve better. There is something so wrong that we can be here again and not have the ability to put party aside for the betterment of the country. We have the same language and rhetoric. Unfortunately we aren’t learning much.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that Starbucks intends to take the message to social media if it appears Congress can’t reach an agreement. The push will include Twitter and Facebook posts as well as advertisements in several major publications.
Since Schultz isn’t a fan of tax hikes or spending cuts, he’s hoping that Congress will reach a deal before he is forced to take the campaign to the next level.
The Starbucks CEO had this to say in his official blog post:
“Rather than be bystanders, we have an opportunity — and I believe a responsibility — to use our company’s scale for good by sending a respectful and optimistic message to our elected officials to come together and reach common ground on this important issue.
“It’s a small gesture, but the power of small gestures is what Starbucks is about! Imagine the power of our partners and hundreds of thousands of customers each sharing such a simple message, one cup at a time.”
It’s currently unknown if any of the company’s stores outside of the Washington area will participate in the “Come Together” promotion.
Are you a fan of Starbucks? Will you help spread the word about the company’s “fiscal cliff” campaign?