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STARBUCKS TO REMOVE OFFENSIVE POSTERS FROM STORES
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Wednesday, February 18th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/131873/starbucks-to-remove-offensive-posters-from-stores/
This poster appeared in several Starbucks locations around the country
upsetting many customers
Apologizes for upsetting customers
ARA KHACHATOURIAN
While ordering their morning drinks on Wednesday, many Starbucks
customers were shocked to see posters depicting women wearing Armenian
traditional costumes under the Turkish Crescent and Star.
After inquiries from Asbarez, a spokesperson said that Starbucks has
already begun the removal of the offensive posters and apologized
for upsetting their customers.
“Serving as a place for the community to connect is core to
our business and we strive to be locally relevant in all of our stores.
We missed the mark here and we apologize for upsetting our customers
and the community. We have removed this art in our Mulholland &
Calabasas store in Woodland Hills and are working to make this
right,” a Starbucks spokesperson told Asbarez via email. The
spokesperson said that the company was “looking into this to
ensure this image is not in any other Starbucks locations.”
Starbucks did not comment about what prompted the company to display
the posters.
The swift response to this matter can also be attributed to a wave of
protests on social media from Armenians who were insulted and taken
aback by what appeared to be lack of sensitivity from Starbucks, a
company that prides itself on social justice and social issues. The
Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region immediately
launched a social media campaign urging followers to document locations
and call Starbucks to complain with #BoycottStarbucks message.
Starbucks was facing a “Venti” debacle, when angry
posts began to circulate on Facebook and Twitter, some calling for
a boycott of the largest coffee retailer in the world. This was yet
another sign of collective grassroots activism on the part of the
Armenian community.
In addressing the issue with Starbucks, Asbarez pointed to many
actions by the Turkish government that were in stark contrast to the
company’s standards of ethics.
“Why would Starbucks promote a country that in the last year
was deemed as the largest jailer of journalists; has shut down Twitter
and YouTube in its campaign to oppress freedom of speech; has jailed
demonstrators for reform; whose president has called for legislation
to categorize women as second class citizens; and continues to deny
the Armenian Genocide, which killed more than 1.5 million people in
1915 among other things, which include calling Israel a terrorist
state,” Asbarez inquired from Starbucks corporate communications.
If readers spot more of these posters, please alert Starbucks customer
service at 800.782.7282.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Wednesday, February 18th, 2015
http://asbarez.com/131873/starbucks-to-remove-offensive-posters-from-stores/
This poster appeared in several Starbucks locations around the country
upsetting many customers
Apologizes for upsetting customers
ARA KHACHATOURIAN
While ordering their morning drinks on Wednesday, many Starbucks
customers were shocked to see posters depicting women wearing Armenian
traditional costumes under the Turkish Crescent and Star.
After inquiries from Asbarez, a spokesperson said that Starbucks has
already begun the removal of the offensive posters and apologized
for upsetting their customers.
“Serving as a place for the community to connect is core to
our business and we strive to be locally relevant in all of our stores.
We missed the mark here and we apologize for upsetting our customers
and the community. We have removed this art in our Mulholland &
Calabasas store in Woodland Hills and are working to make this
right,” a Starbucks spokesperson told Asbarez via email. The
spokesperson said that the company was “looking into this to
ensure this image is not in any other Starbucks locations.”
Starbucks did not comment about what prompted the company to display
the posters.
The swift response to this matter can also be attributed to a wave of
protests on social media from Armenians who were insulted and taken
aback by what appeared to be lack of sensitivity from Starbucks, a
company that prides itself on social justice and social issues. The
Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region immediately
launched a social media campaign urging followers to document locations
and call Starbucks to complain with #BoycottStarbucks message.
Starbucks was facing a “Venti” debacle, when angry
posts began to circulate on Facebook and Twitter, some calling for
a boycott of the largest coffee retailer in the world. This was yet
another sign of collective grassroots activism on the part of the
Armenian community.
In addressing the issue with Starbucks, Asbarez pointed to many
actions by the Turkish government that were in stark contrast to the
company’s standards of ethics.
“Why would Starbucks promote a country that in the last year
was deemed as the largest jailer of journalists; has shut down Twitter
and YouTube in its campaign to oppress freedom of speech; has jailed
demonstrators for reform; whose president has called for legislation
to categorize women as second class citizens; and continues to deny
the Armenian Genocide, which killed more than 1.5 million people in
1915 among other things, which include calling Israel a terrorist
state,” Asbarez inquired from Starbucks corporate communications.
If readers spot more of these posters, please alert Starbucks customer
service at 800.782.7282.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress