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Starbucks: A Study in Straying from Humanistic Marketing Principles

Starbucks: A Study in Straying from Humanistic Marketing Principles

Desiree Landa
October 22, 2024

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For years, Starbucks was the poster child for creating a brand that connected deeply with its customers. Their mission went beyond coffee; they built a “third place” where people felt a sense of belonging. Once a global leader in creating an inclusive and community-driven brand, Starbucks now finds itself facing an increasingly tarnished reputation. Recent legal battles, labor disputes, and accusations of unethical sourcing have highlighted a growing disconnect between Starbucks' public image and its actual business practices.

While I'm not in the business of saying what actions are right or wrong – I am in the business of humanistic marketing and these controversies highlight how Starbucks has failed to align with the six pillars of humanistic marketing—transparency, authenticity, personality, consistency, helpfulness, and community. Let’s break down where Starbucks has gone wrong.


Transparency: Failing to Be Open About Sourcing and Labor Issues

One of the key pillars of humanistic marketing is transparency. Brands are expected to be open about their operations, whether it’s their sourcing practices or how they treat employees. Starbucks has long marketed itself as a leader in ethical sourcing, boasting that 100% of its coffee and tea are sourced from farms adhering to strict ethical standards. However, this claim has come under fire.

A consumer advocacy group recently filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, accusing the company of misleading consumers by sourcing coffee and tea from farms with documented human rights abuses, despite its "100% ethical" marketing. This gap between Starbucks' public messaging and its actual practices damages trust and undermines the transparency pillar that consumers increasingly demand from brands​.


Authenticity: A Disconnect Between Corporate Actions and Public Messaging

Authenticity is another cornerstone of humanistic marketing, requiring brands to live their values and align their actions with their messaging. Starbucks' recent labor disputes expose a serious disconnect. A National Labor Relations Board judge ruled that Starbucks illegally fired employees for participating in union activities and violated labor laws by blaming unions for scheduling and staffing issues​.

Despite its outward messaging about inclusivity and creating positive work environments, Starbucks’ internal actions tell a different story. Firing workers for unionizing—while marketing itself as a people-first, community-centered company—undermines its authenticity. This lack of alignment between brand values and corporate actions is a significant reason Starbucks is losing consumer trust.


Personality: Losing the Human Touch in Sensitive Issues

Starbucks has built a reputation on creating a welcoming “third place” for customers to connect beyond home and work. This human-centric personality has been a key differentiator for the brand. However, the company’s recent response to global political issues, specifically the Israel-Palestine conflict, has diluted its once strong personality.

After a pro-Palestinian message was posted by a Starbucks union, the company sued Workers United, leading to perceptions that Starbucks was pro-Israel. This has resulted in backlash, including boycotts across the US and Middle East, and the termination of around 2,000 workers in the region by Starbucks’ franchisee​ didn't help their position.

Instead of navigating this sensitive issue with care, Starbucks’ legal and political stance has further distanced it from the people it serves, making its previously welcoming and inclusive personality feel distant and corporate.


Consistency: Mismatched Messaging and Corporate Behavior

Consistency is critical for building trust, and Starbucks has struggled to maintain a consistent brand message across its operations. While the company continues to champion ethical sourcing and worker rights in its marketing materials, its internal behavior tells a very different story.

Between its failure to uphold labor rights in the U.S. and its controversial business decisions abroad, Starbucks’ inconsistencies are becoming glaring. Customers notice when a brand says one thing and does another, leading to a decline in trust and loyalty.


Helpfulness: Neglecting Employee and Consumer Well-being

A core element of humanistic marketing is providing value beyond selling a product—brands should aim to help their customers, communities, and employees. Starbucks’ response to both internal labor disputes and the political boycotts has highlighted a failure to support its workers effectively. The brand’s decision to fire employees involved in unionization efforts, coupled with mass layoffs in the Middle East, has hurt the very people that are the backbone of its operations​.

While Starbucks’ marketing messages focus on community-building, its lack of support for employees during critical times shows a brand disconnected from its role in creating positive change.


Community: Alienating Both Employees and Consumers

Starbucks once excelled at fostering a sense of community—both in its stores and through its brand ethos. However, recent controversies have alienated both its employees and consumers. From accusations of labor rights violations to lawsuits over unethical sourcing, Starbucks is eroding the community it once worked so hard to build.

In times of crisis, consumers expect brands to stand by their values and community. Instead, Starbucks has found itself at odds with both workers and customers, signaling a significant failure to uphold the community pillar of humanistic marketing.

The downfall of Starbucks can be traced back to its failure to uphold the six pillars of humanistic marketing: transparency, authenticity, personality, consistency, helpfulness, and community. By straying from these principles, Starbucks has not only damaged its reputation but also eroded the trust of its customers and employees.

Can Starbucks come back from this? Yes, but it won't be easy. To regain its standing, Starbucks must realign its actions with the values it promotes. This means being transparent about its sourcing, supporting its workers, and standing by its commitment to ethical practices. Only by embracing the pillars of humanistic marketing can Starbucks hope to restore the trust it has lost and rebuild its brand.

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