Starbucks is getting a double shot of publicity as fans and critics of Trump alike battle to maintain dominance of the #BoycottStarbucks hashtag.
After Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced the company would hire 10,000 refugees in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration ban, Trump supporters balked, threatening to boycott the coffee giant and suggesting the company should hire veterans instead.
Note: Schultz’s pledge was to hire 10,000 refugees in 75 countries around the world, so it’s unclear how U.S. veterans tie into his plan precisely.
The #BoycottStarbucks threads started off predictably enough:
Instead of hiring 10,000 AMERICAN VETERANS, #Starbucks has decided to hire 10,000 'refugees'. Calling on all Americans to #BoycottStarbucks!
— The Trump Train 🚂🇺🇸 (@The_Trump_Train) January 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/Lrihendry/status/826494304256479232
But critics of Trump quickly appropriated the hashtag for their own purposes, making fun of the boycotters and thanking racists for taking their business elsewhere.
https://twitter.com/HWNDUS/status/826204324594200576
https://twitter.com/efropoker/status/826176643999817730
Y'all really trying to #BoycottStarbucks for trying to help out people in need? Didn't y'all want Starbucks to practice Christian values?
— Samuel ✊🏿⚘️🕆 (@samweli__) January 30, 2017
GOP: We want to create jobs
— Emily Bowen (@ebowen04) January 30, 2017
Starbucks: Okay we'll hire 10,000 refugees
GOP: No, we want to create *white* jobs
DO NOT #boycottstarbucks
https://twitter.com/louiselegance/status/826155594222620672
https://twitter.com/seIinaivy/status/826151011853156355
https://twitter.com/HWNDUS/status/826150710332919808
Got worried when I saw #BoycottStarbucks trending, turns out they pledged to hire 10,000 refugees. Gonna buy myself some coffee.
— Alex Everette 🐝 (@author_everette) January 30, 2017
Thank you, @Starbucks CEO for committing to hire 10,000 refugees.
— ~ (@nikitakhara) January 30, 2017
To all those tweeting #boycottstarbucks, thanks for the shorter line.
None of the #BoycottStarbucks people actually drink Starbucks because they were already boycotting over red cups.
— Carl (@CarlyleAddy) January 30, 2017
It’s not the first boycott that has backfired on Trump supporters. The president has been central to attempted boycotts of Yuengling beer, Apple, and the new Star Wars movie. (Key word “attempted”: Rogue One had an opening weekend of $155 million domestically.)
Nor—as that last tweet suggests—is it even the first Starbucks boycott attempt by Trump supporters, who swore off the brand for its green holiday cups late last year.
As if I needed another reason not to buy from these tax dodging liberal SJW's.#NeverStarbucks.
— Raised Right 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@Silvio99) November 2, 2016
Just last week, Starbucks reported $4 billion in revenue last quarter and record holiday sales, so it’s doing just fine either way.
H/T Huffington Post