Starbucks Shared Planet Tumblers and Marketing
Thank you to Crystal and Ally for these images.
Starbucks Shared Planet. You and Starbucks. It’s bigger than coffee. Use a tumbler. You’ll save 10 cents and another paper cup everytime. But you are buying some plastic material that doesn’t exactly biodegrade (It is, however, 29% post-consumer recycled material). Starbucks is making a ton of money off you when you buy the tumbler and they save extra money when they don’t need to order in as many paper cups. Not that I think it’s a bad idea to use your own coffee mug or a “tumbler.” The Starbucks verbage commands me to “USE A TUMBLER” and by obeying I am apparently doing my part to keep things green and being socially and environmentally conscious. What seems to actually be happenig in this particular campaign is that Starbucks is simply trying to create consumers who don’t think for themselves and feel that by making Starbucks more money they have somehow contributed their part in making the world a better place. I think Starbucks is doing some interesting things with their Shared Planet program, but their marketing campaign is confusing because it seems controlling. Allow me to explain a little:
The Tumbler promotion is part of the Shared Planet campaign that Starbucks is currently running. The Shared Planet statement says, “It’s out commitment to doing business in ways that are good to the earth and to each other. From the way we buy our coffee, to trying to minimize our environmental footprint, to being involved in our local communities.” The statement on the sign then ends by getting you to feel good about your purchase. I’ve heard people say that you are making a guilt-free transaction, which subtly pushes you into buying their products and feeling guilty about buying anything other than their products. “Guilt-free” is not language that Starbucks uses, it is language I have heard used by other people.
On the Starbucks Shared Planet website, you can take the “Mug Pledge” where you will pledge to reuse your mug, or you can take a poll asking whether you will participate in Shared Planet by either (1) Reusing your mug or (2) volunteering in your community. So, if I volunteer in my community I am participating in Shared Planet? And if I reuse my cup I am participating in Shared Planet? This is good marketing because if you take it to it’s logical conclusion, if you volunteer or reuse your cup you may think of Starbucks…much the same way as it’s hard to disassociate the word “apple” with the computer brand of the same name. The problem is that it seems manipulative in that it’s claiming my actions as part of their campaign.
I’m not against Starbucks, I am confused and put-off by their marketing. I think they are doing some good things: “using [their] size for good.” The following links don’t have a whole lot to do with greening things up, but they are an interesting series of links that point out how difficult it is to get the whole story when it comes to Starbucks. The company sounds great sometimes; othertimes it sounds like they are hiding things. I don’t know what to think as a potential customer. I’m sure they are better than many, many other companies. It’s all confusing and overwhelming so I’ve just decided go with my local coffee shop.
-Starbucks opens a LEED certified coffee plant. That is good news in my opinion.
-Make Wealth History points out the irony or trademarking “sharing.”
-The Times Online points out a couple past discrepencies in Starbucks environmental and ethicals stances.
-Investorati has a nice post calling Starbucks to “Honor [their] commitment to coffee farmers.” But that post was written in 2007.
-Starbucks doubles their purchasing of fairtrade coffee.
-Starbucks claims to deliver 100% responsibly grown, ethically traded.
Maybe it just depends on how you look at it all.
May 6, 2009
I’m sure Starbucks main goal here is to A) make money off of the tumblers and B) save money on paper cups, but hey, thats business. In the end it is still a step in the right direction, as it would cut down on paper cups. Any business or company who decides to “go green” is ultimately doing it for their own good, not for the good of the world. But if their efforts really do lead to a positive change, then I think it is still a good thing. To me, greenwashing is trying to profit off of perceived green benefits when in reality there aren’t any, so does this example really qualify as greenwashing?
May 7, 2009
In my opinion it qualifies because it’s trying to get us to be a part of their green campaign. I never deny that a company who is going green, even if it is for their own benefit, is doing something good. I simply want to make sure people are more aware of the advertising around them, because it can be manipulative.
I think many of the examples on this blog are questionable in the same way these images are, I just enjoy looking at it a little critically.
May 16, 2009
Well, considering that I only buy their tumbler on sale, and never buys drinks there, I don’t benefit them much
I am just tire of the paper cups. They spill, they crack, bus driver don’t like them, everyone knows where you get your drinks (inconvenient if you go a store with their own coffee), and everyone knows what drinks you have.
As a coffeeholic who makes coffee and tea at home, using a tumbler is both practical, environmental, and cost-saving to me(Been using tumbler way before the Starbuck campaign. They are late by about three years). I think, to those that only drinks on occasion and spontaneously instead of homemaking them, it’s a waste of money and plastic. Chances are, when they buy drinks, they won’t have a tumbler with them.
By the way, I just stumble on your blog randomly – Nice job! I am definitely subscribing your blog!
October 15, 2009
I bought the tumbler because I feel that it does help save cups. Regardless if Starbucks does save money, I save wasting paper instead of throwing away a cup (and not recycling) I use a coffee mug that I will use over and over again. I agree about the marketing manipulation, but it’s no worse than a fast food chain trying to lure a customer in to a gimmicky promotion. The only problem I have with the Starbucks tumbler promotion is that I bought a red tumbler and they donate $1.00 to the research in HIV/AIDS. I wish they would donate more like 20 or 30 %.
January 13, 2010
I love this information, thanks.
January 24, 2010
Great read, thanks for putting it up.
March 11, 2010
The care of the planet and the ecological awareness is ingrained in our society. The problem with big companies is that they always try to use this knowledge to make money. With tumblers or whatever
July 31, 2010
i really don’t no about Starbucks, in future its very useful for my business thanks for all the information.
August 7, 2010
The campaign for GO for Green would also necessitate to stop/minimize cutting trees where paper cups came from. So if Starbucks is concern with the environment the campaign for stop using paper cups would justify their call. They may be getting more income with this campaign but what matters is that they are concern for the environment.
October 7, 2010
I think this is more just for them to make more money from people buying their cups. You will buy them because at the minute everything is about saving the planet so if you think you are helping in that then you are more likely to buy their mug because you think you are doing your bit.
October 9, 2010
With the “Green” movement being so prevalent in today’s world, many large corporate companies are scrambling for ways to still make profit but still be “Green”, and Starbucks is no exception. No company can be ever be completely “green”. By virtue of existing we all have an impact on the environment. We should all (companies included) try to be “greener” as apposed to striving for something that might be impossible to achieve.
October 25, 2010
I guess this is what the marketing people at Starbucks are paid to come up with. The truth is, when you use a tumbler, you are doing good and bad – you’re helping the environment a little at a time but yes you are saving money. Starbucks could start by giving out the tumblers for free.
November 8, 2010
I bought a tumbler too. I don’t really care much about Starbucks’ marketing tactics and if they caught me hook, line and sinker … but I’m always all for anything which can help preserve our resources.
December 10, 2010
This sounds like another elevator pitch with an eco slant. Can you take your own mug in? Why can’t the materials be 100% recyclable? The technology is out there.
December 29, 2010
A key element to Shared Planet is the idea of co-responsibility. It’s not about the actions of one person or community or business. It’s about all of us working together to promote a sustainable, healthy planet.
January 26, 2011
I bought one of those insulated steel (?) tumblers. It’s a great investment because, for one, it’s really sturdy. I’ve had mine for 3 years already and it still looks like new. Second, it’s great to bring anywhere if you want to keep your drink either cold or hot — at the office, when you go camping, even just at home while watching TV.
February 1, 2011
You can rest assure that Starbucks is actively facing and combating their carbon emissions and continuously finding new and innovative ways to preserve our planet. Help Starbucks’ mission to reuse and recycle by filling up on coffee with your reusable container.
February 17, 2011
Yep, this is just another marketing strategy. A clever way to market their tumblers and to earn some extra cash. But then again, it does help conserve paper or whatever else materials are used to produce regular cups. So it’s a win-win situation for Starbucks and Mother Earth!
February 28, 2011
Perhaps it would be wise to remind us that the lingo “Shared Planet” is really a new way of Starbucks describing what they already had been doing for over a decade – responsibly sourcing coffee. Starbucks has always sought to pay more than the market price of coffee, and ensure that coffee beans were sourced ethically and preserve the biosphere of the farm region, but a turning point in how Starbucks accomplishes this came in 1998.
June 30, 2011
Just another ploy to make us buy something we do not really need — aside from overpriced, overrated coffee.
November 3, 2011
The thing is Jenny, when a company get a loayal following of customers (like Apple for example), they can make almost anything and it will have a good chance of achieving good sales results!
February 8, 2012
Yes, I think Starbucks is employing clever marketing to get people to buy their tumblers. Yes, I also think Starbucks will make more money by doing this. Their motives are at least partially self-serving. As others here have pointed out, they could do more – give the tumblers away for free, make them 100% recyclable, donate more, etc.
However, I think the end result is positive. Let’s face it, we all have an impact on our environment, we all waste and pollute, and we all use more energy than we need to, at least some of the time.
I think the best we can realistically do is to continue to move in the right direction and consistently make choices that are more beneficial than harmful to us and the environment.
Having said that, the problem many sometimes have, myself included, is knowing what the right direction is. Everything involves a tradeoff and the most environmentally best choice isn’t always as clear as we’d like it to be.