A cup of Ethics

Last night as I battled my insomnia I found myself reading a full page advertisement in my parents latest issue of TIME magazine. The add was for the most wondrous place on earth; Starbucks!

Well at least it it is wondrous to me. I have loved Starbucks ever since I had my first cup of Joe there several years ago. I consider myself to be somewhat of a coffee nerd. I know a little bit more about various blends, and origins, of the bean than do most consumers. So of course Starbucks is my place.

Really though, it doesn't take a connoisseur to love Starbucks. Most people I know have various favorite $4.50 cups of sugar, milk, and syrup that they love to order there. But it has been obvious in the recent economic situation that many regulars are now just going to Starbucks for the occasional treat.

It totally makes sense too, for the average coffee drinker the home coffee pot, as well as cheaper alternatives like McDonalds are become the ideal choice.

Anyways, this full page, wonderfully colored ad really caught my attention. It was advertising Starbucks on 3 points

1. We care about the farmers
2. We care about the quality
3. We care about the Employee

Surprisingly, the article didn't say anything about cost effectiveness, in fact it openly admitted consumers pay more for what they get at Starbucks. Initially this ad seems like idiocy, How in the world does this add make Starbucks seem appealing when everyone's biggest concern is their wallet.

But wait, maybe there is more to this that what it initially seems.

After doing a little bit of goggling, I realized that Starbucks clientele may not be in the older generations, they are the ones who are quickly turning to places like McDonalds for their caffeine fix...And really it makes perfect sense. When I think of my dad, he could care less about coffee. He laughs out loud everytime I'm in the kitchen grinding up my own premium beans instead of drinking his faucet water flavored coffee-ish substance.

However, it turns out the millennial generation still cares a bit about the experience of Starbucks because they are the ones who still prefer it. This also makes sense. The sophisticated atmosphere and hip feel of Starbucks plays into our generations psyche.

This is where the ethics come in. One of the ad's selling points was that Starbucks gives it's employees full health insurance at 20hrs a week. I couldn't believe that an advertisement would sell on a point like that.

But I think if there is one truth about the Millennial generation is that in general...We care.

We want to know that the higher powers above us doing things ethnically correct. Were not really the generation to turn a blind eye.

So here is where the advertisement might actually work. It speaks to those in the younger generation that

"Yes, maybe we can't offer prices, and we know the economy sucks, but what we can assure you is that when you buy a cup of joe starbucks your buying what is morally right. You know you're helping out farmers, and assuring that we can maintain a well trained and happy staff."

That's how I read it, and I think that is how others my age might read it too. It will be interesting to see in the future if this sort of advertising pays off. Starbucks has a tough road ahead but maybe they will find that ethics actually does sell the bean.