Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz loves politics as much as he loves coffee. Even when the company is not being pulled into the middle of a political argument, Schultz is unfazed by joining the fray.
Recently, while attending a dinner event featuring Wisconsin Governor and erstwhile POTUS candidate, Scott Walker, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani made a few comments that, some have said, questioned President Obama’s “love” for his country. That set Schultz off almost immediately. He released a statement that said, in part: “As an American, I find Rudy Giuliani’s vicious comments about President Obama to be profoundly offensive to both the President and the Office.”
Schultz followed this salvo by saying Giuliani’s remarks were “yet another example of the extreme rhetoric that continues to divide our country rather than uniting us in a common purpose.”
Strong words from the CEO of a brand as ubiquitous as Starbucks. But, where some company leaders would shy away from making divisive or political statements, Schultz embraces the opportunity. He has a long history of taking Congress to task as if they were unruly school kids in need of a stern scolding. And it seems to be playing well.
It’s no secret that those of a particular political leaning are also big fans of Starbucks. So, on the surface, political speech of this kind doesn’t seem to be that big of a risk. But looks can be deceiving. When a company’s leadership continues to come down on the same side of several different issues – particularly when they are inserting those opinions into issues that don’t directly involve them – it can become grating to even the most dedicated fans.
Chick-Fil-A learned this lesson a few years back after customers who were initially supportive of the Founder’s political stance soon grew tired of the back and forth and let everyone who was listening know they just wanted a chicken sandwich, hold the side of political action. If Schultz continues down this path, he may find his fans reaching a similar conclusion. Sure, they don’t mind a CEO speaking out on an important issue, but weighing in on every little comment by every random pundit comes across poorly.
Jonah Engler is a New Yorker who works as a financial analyst, investor and stock broker in Manhattan. Engler is a coffee lover and social media expert.
