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Buy (STARBUCKS)RED. Help Save Lives.

Nov 27, 2008 by Jen Willig

12 comments

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Coffee & Espresso Drinks, Ordering or Payment & Pick-Up, Other Experience Ideas, Social Responsibility, Other Involvement Ideas

Hello,

My name is Jen Willig and I work for (RED)™, which launched two years ago with a mission to eliminate AIDS in Africa. Our philosophy at (RED)™ is simple: Choose (RED). When you buy (RED) products a portion of the proceeds helps people with HIV in Africa get the medicine they need to stay alive. (RED) is that simple and that powerful. I’m thrilled that Starbucks has partnered with us in this effort.

Beginning today through January 2, 2009, you can help save lives in Africa by doing something that may already be part of your daily routine. For every purchase of a (STARBUCKS)RED EXCLUSIVE beverage - Espresso Truffle, Gingersnap Latte, and Peppermint Mocha Twist - at all participating stores in the U.S. and Canada, Starbucks will contribute five cents directly to the Global Fund. And to honor the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, on Dec. 1, Starbucks will contribute five cents to the Global Fund for every handcrafted beverage purchased at a participating Starbucks as a continued way to show support for this important issue.

Starbucks has some fun online programs too that may be of interest to the MSI community.

Starbucks.com/RED
Join the online community at www.starbucks.com/RED by simply uploading a photo of yourself and making a virtual pledge to choose (STARBUCKS)RED this holiday season. You can choose to take a photo in the (RED) parenthesis when visiting a participating Starbucks store or upload one of your favorite photos into the (RED) parenthesis directly on the site. With the “impact calculator”, you can learn how your (STARBUCKS)RED purchases translate into days of medicine to help save lives in Africa.
Facebook
For you Facebook fans, you can participate in the World AIDS day by joining the event, Starbucks Goes (RED) for the Holidays. RSVP here. There will be more fun around (STARBUCKS)RED Exclusive beverages on Facebook in December. Stay tuned.

I know I’ll be enjoying lots of Ginger Snap Lattes this holiday season and will be happy knowing I’m helping to make a difference in someone’s life. I hope you’ll join me and choose your favorite (STARBUCKS)RED EXCLUSIVE beverage. Buy (RED). Save Lives.

For more information on (RED)™ visit http://www.joinred.com.

Happy holidays!

(12 items)

JavaOcha

11/27/2008 5:51 PM

you guys are so cheap. if a go in and order a short black coffee, 5 cents is donated. if i go in and order a venti pepermint mocha twist w/ an extra shot of espresso and a shot of energy, still 5 cents are donated.

mguiste

11/28/2008 2:07 PM

Hey JavaOcha, been meaning to write back to you (I saw a similar comment from you on another post as well). Actually, we're trying to keep it very simple (that's one thing we've heard on MSI repeatedly), so I think picking a certain number and having it apply across all beverages is better than varying it by size or options but hitting the same average.

As for that total average. It might not sound like a lot, but it adds up fast. The pledges received at the (STARBUCKS)RED website http://www.starbucks.com/red/

already total more than 1,500 days of medicine, and this is the first full day of the campaign.

The philosophy is that everyone doing just a little bit will make a huge difference. Keep watching the site to see just how big!

Momiji

11/28/2008 6:09 PM

Yes, simplicity is your friend! :-D

I'm on RED and I chose Espresso Truffle.

Melody13

11/29/2008 2:04 PM

Agreed Momiji!

Matthew, the video in on the LCDs sans audio music. :( I don't see any reason not to play it WITH the music.

And, I'm sorry, please don't kill me, but there's an apostrophe in this blog that is making me crazy to look at:

[quote=Jen Willig]I know I’ll be enjoying lots of Ginger Snap Latte’s[/quote]

^ In the rest of the entry they're Gingersnap Lattes, and also, there definitely is no need for the possessive form there. Since it's just a plural, it should be "Gingersnap Lattes."

You can fire me from position of customer now!

Dawn Nikol

11/30/2008 10:05 AM

I'm still curious as to why Starbucks would donate to help AIDS in Africa, but refuse to send coffee to our troops?

Melody13

11/30/2008 10:36 AM

Dawn, Starbucks DOES support the troops. There was a false email that circulated some time ago, and it has long since been debunked as false.

www.starbucks.com/.../pressdesc.asp

Also, take a look at how Starbucks partners are supporting the troops!

www.v2v.net/.../coffee-for-soldiers

www.v2v.net/.../coffee-for-the-troops-1

www.v2v.net/.../donate-coffee-for-the-troops

www.v2v.net/.../support-the-18th-military-poli

www.v2v.net/.../g-i-java

sbx_bean

12/1/2008 2:37 PM

Thanks Melody for catching the typo. It has been corrected.

Did anyone in Seattle notice the Space Needle is Red today for World AIDS Day?

strbk6

12/5/2008 8:06 AM

Starbucks is even blowing it while trying to do a good thing. Rather than donating five cents for drinks sold it should donate a set amount. Moreover, it should be donated with the idea to help prevent AIDS as well.

What they should do is set up a separate entity non-profit for that purpose. Then donate to that. Then they should allow their customers to follow their example and donate to the non-profit set up for that purpose. This way, everyone can get a tax write-off and it can be managed properly and simply. And, if someone wants to donate more than five cents per cup they can easily. It can be done efficiently so that it is not wasting money on overhead and it is helping out.

ndsp

12/7/2008 7:15 PM

I just wanted to voice my disappointment and frustrating with this new RED program. While Gap gave 50% of their profit margin on RED products, Starbucks is fiving 5 cents on a latte - about 1.4% for a grande. Yes it adds up, but seems especially poor Even Apple gave about 10% of the product price.

Even though money is given to the Global Fund, Product RED is a for profit company and has given a pathetic amount of money relative to how much they advertise. Starbucks would actually do so much more good to encourage customers to give directly, give more at least, or work with an organization that isn't primarily a PR movement.

(While on this note I have to comment that it is just as disappointing that Starbucks can allow customers to give any amount to the Ethos water fund at the register and just buy (filtered) tap water, rather than buying Ethos where Starbucks makes a large profit compared to the 10c going to the project. If this is genuinely about humanity, I don't see either of these as doing the right thing.)

www.africomnet.org/.../read03081.php

SBUXMaster

12/7/2008 9:20 PM

ndsp- You know why Apple gives 10% for every Product (RED) iPod they sell? Because the thing is $150! They also do not sell nearly as many of their (RED) products as Starbucks will sell in their holiday drinks. When it all boils down, I would NOT be surprised if Starbucks ended up actually donating MORE money than Apple. It would take 300 holiday drinks for Starbucks to sell to match Apple's 10% of $150 ($15)...and one SBUX location could EASILY do that in ONE day. Now think about the 7,000 SBUX locations there are.

Also, I suggest you read up FIRST before posting. Starbucks donates 5cents from every drink DIRECTLY to The Global Fund (www.theglobalfund.org), NOT to the (RED) Campaign.

www.starbucks.com/.../pressdesc.asp

jylee90

12/16/2008 9:20 PM

i think starbucks joining with (red) is a fantastic idea =]

people will spend money buying the drinks anyway, especially the holiday ones (they're awesome!!)

so why not give even a little from each drink to donate to a good cause?

people should stop being so cheap and greedy.

the drinks make up for it.

56wabs

12/17/2008 10:59 AM

A line of hardware would go much farther in advertising Starbucks' commitment to the cause than the ubiquitous paper cup with Beverage X inside does.

(12 items)