What is the real deal with the Starbucks red cup and why does everyone seem to care?
If you ask Toby Keith, he’s “seen you in blue and [he’s] seen you in yellow, but only you red will do for this fellow,” so what’s wrong with just a red cup?
Since November 1 there has been an uproar over the new holiday cups from Starbucks being “a two-toned ombré design, with a bright poppy color on top that shades into a darker cranberry below,” as they described it. But why?
Starbucks has had many designs on their cup over the years, but have any of them actually been related to Christmas as a religious holiday? Or when you think back, are they more seasonal, with doodles of reindeer, snowflakes and pine trees? There has never been a cross, or Jesus, or even a nativity scene.
Yes, the symbols that have appeared on the cup are associated with Christmas, but only in a general, seasonal way. Isn’t red considered a Christmas color? Red and green – you know, just like the red cups with a green logo. For me, that’s Christmas-y enough to expect from my local coffee shop.
“Starbucks has become a place of sanctuary during the holidays,” Jeffrey Fields, Starbucks vice president of Design & Content said. “We’re embracing the simplicity and the quietness of it. It’s a more open way to usher in the holiday.”
So instead of saying #MerryChristmasStarbucks with a “stick it to the man” mentality why not say it with holiday spirit and cheer? The more I think about it, the more it seems this holiday has turned into people being offended instead of encouraging generous acts towards others.
If we’re going to talk about Starbucks, how about we discuss the awesome things they’re doing? The events and initiatives that actually make a difference in people’s lives? If that sounds more interesting to you than what color their holiday cup is, go check out the report on Starbucks recent expansion of benefits for veterans.
Marci Duckro is a graduate of the University of Dayton (Go Flyers!) and majored in PR and journalism, with a minor in photography. She has worked as a wedding photographer for many years with a company in Ohio before branching out on her own in Florida. She has faced many struggles of being a small business owner, and works full-time as a site coordinator and content collaborator for Business Administration Information.
