Starbucks: Make a Difference. Take The Pledge.

Greenberg, Knight & Westersund (2011) propose that “it would be misleading to suggest that conservative-minded governments and oil companies are the only ones that use PR to influence the media, public and policy agendas.  In an effort to appear more politically relevant, environmental NGOs and activist coalitions increasingly utilize public relations techniques and rely heavily on corporate communication consultancies to assist them in reaching the hearts and minds of key publics and policy-makers” (p. 73).  To illustrate this point I would like to draw upon an example from the Starbucks Shared Planet campaign.  This video demonstrates how public relations techniques were used in order to create environmental awareness around consumption issues within the Starbucks community.  The campaign suggests that using a reusable mug will benefit the environment and those customers who will use a reusable mug will be rewarded with a free coffee on the selected day. I think this campaign affectively reaches the hearts and minds of key publics because it allows customer to feel as though they are making positive changes for the environment.