People are mad about the outrage over Starbucks' red holiday cups - but it's unclear if customers were ever upset to begin with
Starbucks
Last week, American evangelist and internet personality Joshua Feuerstein posted a video on Facebook saying that Starbucks "removed Christmas from their cups," and that in protest, Christians should ask baristas to write "Merry Christmas" on their cups.
Media organizations, including Tech Insider, pointed to the hashtag #MerryChristmasStarbucks, which was trending on Facebook and Twitter over the weekend, as evidence of disappointment surrounding Starbucks' decision to forgo Christmas imagery on their holiday red cups. However, now that the dust has settled, actual social media responses demonstrate that far more people used the hashtag to show disgust than support for Feurerstein's ideas.
To uncover the truth about the "outrage," one has to go to the root of the issue: Feuerstein's video. As of Thursday, the video has close to 16 million views and more than 185,000 likes. However, it also has more than 512,000 share - many of them critical.
"I'm a Christian. I also work for Starbucks," reads one popular comment, written the day the video was posted. "I've worked for companies where my religion is mocked or laughed at. This company is not one of them."
Another comment, posted after the video began trending on November 10, also called out Feuerstein as incorrect. As of Thursday, it had received more than 22,000 likes - more than quadruple the number of the most-liked comment supporting Feuerstein.
If even people who checked out the original video disagreed with Feuerstein, how did the hashtag begin to trend?
Watching the evolution and eventual explosion of the trend on Twitter sheds light on exactly what went down.
On November 5, the day the video was posted, there weren't many tweets about the hashtag. While most that appear did show support, none were hugely popular. In fact, the most-liked and retweeted example was a skeptical responses.
Sending Starbucks a bunch of business is such a great prank!Fat loud and stupid is no way to go through life, son.#merrychristmasstarbucks
- Severian Jussaine (@TheSeverian) November 5, 2015
#MerryChristmasStarbucks ???? #JesusIsTheReason
- Lindsay Nowlin (@lowlin12) November 5, 2015
@Starbucks SO disappointed in you! Lost a customer and my respect. #starbucks #merrychristmasstarbucks
On November 6, people began actually sharing pictures of themselves with Starbucks cups that say "Merry Christmas" - evidence that Feuerstein wasn't the only member of his so-called movement.
The movement has begun #MERRYCHRISTMASSTARBUCKS pic.twitter.com/32Lr72YJvV
- Brett Boyles (@brett__b0yles) November 6, 2015
Because they took "Merry Christmas" off their cups!#MerryChristmasStarbucks pic.twitter.com/FPEcxb6af0
- Kelly Williams (@Rain_Fire75) November 6, 2015
Can I get a name for your cup? Sure. "Merry Christmas" #MerryChristmasStarbucks pic.twitter.com/lFgFASnBsi
- Jay Carr (@Jay_Carr) November 6, 2015
It also brought the beginning of the backlash.
You dickheads, I hope you all enjoy the "Mary Krispis" coffees you will undoubtedly receive. #merrychristmasstarbucks
- Sarah LaSlam (@why_in_the_heck) November 6, 2015
Hello, I'm Zach. I choose to try and follow the teachings of Jesus. I also couldn't care less about red cups. #MerryChristmasStarbucks
- Zachary Paul Bodman (@Zbodman) November 6, 2015
Searching through the hashtag on November 7, the vast majority of tweets are simply criticizing the movement. The switch had begun: a hashtag created criticize Starbucks had transformed into a movement to raise awareness of this criticism.
If you believe that @starbucks is starting a war against Christians by having a plain red cup, you need help. #merrychristmasstarbucks
- Whatsername (@1RayOfKayleigh) November 7, 2015
Stop complaining that a paper cup you drink coffee out of doesn't have snowflakes on it. Focus on actual problems. #MerryChristmasStarbucks
- Squish (@Squish_9) November 7, 2015
How meaningless is your life that you have to create drama over a goddamn Starbucks cup? #MerryChristmasStarbucks #firstworldproblems
- Daphne Lage (@Daphne_Lage) November 7, 2015
Since Saturday, the social media ratio has remained about the same, with more people using the hashtag to criticize than support Feuerstein.
Starbucks doesn't hate Christmas or Christians. Cut the crap. #MerryChristmasStarbucks pic.twitter.com/9SYh7mxEqV
Every time a Christian complains about a coffee cup, an angel loses its wings. #MerryChristmasStarbucks
- Zack Hunt (@ZaackHunt) November 8, 2015
Meanwhile, the growth of the hashtag - inflated by critics' own posts - prompted media coverage of the topic. Regardless of publications' political leanings, the majority of commenters responded in disgust - that Feuerstein was wasting his time on such a project.
"I'm offended by everyone being offended by this!!!" succinctly reads one of the most-liked comments on Fox New's Facebook post about the issue.
Offline support from a wider Christian community also failed to materialize. As Jonathan Merritt wrote in the Washington Post, most Christians simply didn't care about the red cups. No Christian groups have gone on the record boycotting Starbucks or joining the hashtag movement.
Has anyone actually met someone offended by the Starbucks cups?
- Drew Holcomb (@drewholcomb) November 10, 2015
Serious Christians don't care what's on Starbucks cups. I don't know any Christians who do, but if they exist they speak only for themselves
- Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 10, 2015
In fact, the only major new supporter of the movement to come out since the weekend has been Donald Trump. Other than his call to boycott Starbucks, the majority of on- and off-line commentary has been critical of the movement - all while bringing more and more attention to Feuerstein.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing for Feuerstein, who has reasons of his own to want people to visit his Facebook page, whether they agree or disagree with his views.
The self-described "social media personality" offers partnerships, starting at $10, $20, or $50 a month, for people and organizations who want to reach Feuerstein's reported 500,000 daily followers, reports the Washington Post.
Feuerstein has experience with posting on polarizing topics, and is sure to understand that tackling issues that will earn him criticism will also expand his reach - even if most people disagree. An example of a past Feuerstein topic is ordering a cake that says "We Do Not Support Gay Marriage," and harassing the bakery that refused to make him the cake until it temporarily closed.
CBS/screenshot
At the end of the day, most people who appeared to be a part of Feuerstein's social media movement were, in fact, attacking the man. However, their involvement merely served to make the hashtag more prominent, over time making it a topic of discussion for most major publications, late night talk show hosts, and even a presidential candidate.
The outrage may have never been real, but its effects - including the growth it allowed Feuerstein - certainly are.
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