Kairos- is by definition “a propitious moment for decision or action”. Sometimes, it seems like corporations find a way to monopolize off of momentous events- this is no coincidence, however- this is just an effect of kairos that we commonly see. You may remember this… a few years ago, remember when people were more angry over Starbucks cups than they were over real, pertenient issues? It wasn’t just a dream, you certainly did encounter at least one or two of your Facebook friends angry rants about Starbucks releasing a cup that was perceived as being “anti-Christmas”. The red cups were debated by the company as simply being a clear palette for its beloved customers to be able to design their own “Holiday” logo. However, many conservatives interpreted it as being anti-Christmas, and called for a boycott of America’s favorite coffee company. Although most people scoffed at people who were indifferent about the cups, the minority group drew enough attention that Starbucks was able to jump at the opportunity to gain more popularity, make more money, as well as seem like a company with good values. Following the controversy, Starbucks struck while the iron was hot and took a liberal side on the matter by releasing a new cup, that featured many, diverse people all living together on this cup in unity, as if to say to people who were angry about the cup, “hey, is this better?” The CEO even released this statement, saying “During a divisive time in our country, Starbucks wanted to create a symbol of unity as a reminder of our shared values, and the need to be good to each other,” This approach to the “haters” is a strategic marketing move. In the height of the kairos, Starbucks knew they had the chance to make themselves look good, and did just that. While I agree with Starbucks, and loved the new cup design, it’s interesting to analyze the motivations behind what looks like a kind-hearted move. It makes one think- does Starbucks really care, or did they only chose to see the new design through after realizing the large majority of their consumers were liberal and supported their neutral, progressive views. Would Starbucks make this “right” and inclusive choice if it didn’t benefit them?
This is a great example of Kairos. It is interesting to me how Starbucks used timing to their advantage to turn a bad decision that impacted them negatively into something positive in the long run.