Dunkin’ Donuts Appeals To Starbucks Red Cup Deserters With Festive Holiday Cup
Dunkin’ Donuts has done something that will either send sales skyrocketing, or that will bring a ton of backlash onto itself.
Every year, the coffee franchise Starbucks releases its annual red up, which signifies the beginning of the winter season. The red cup usually features holiday designs, such as snowflakes and ornaments. This year, however, the coffee company surprised its customers with a whole new holiday cup design. The 2015 red cup is just that: a red cup.
Starbucks vice president of Design & Content Jeffrey Fields made it clear in a statement that the plain red cup was only meant to inspire the coffee franchise’s patrons. Starbucks’ traditional, year-round white cup has served as a creative platform in years past for people who draw their own design’s on the cup. This winter season’s design allows for the same kind of creativity, while still honoring the winter season with the traditional red color.
“In the past, we have told stories with our holiday cups designs. This year we wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.”
In a statement to CBS, a representative from the popular coffee franchise corroborated what Fields had said about the company’s decision to go all red.
“Our core values as a company is to create a culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity… we will continue to embrace and welcome customers from all backgrounds and religions in our stores around the world.”
The decision to make the red cups blank received a ton of backlash, mostly from radical Christians who believe that Starbucks is beginning a “war on Christmas” by removing the festive snowmen and trees. Many people have begun to boycott the company, including presidential candidate Donald Trump, who chimed in on the controversy. He fueled the fire by prompting people to start boycotting the coffee franchise, as reported by the Daily News.
“Maybe we should boycott Starbucks. I don’t know.”
The company was merely trying to create a design that could appropriately encompass their entire customer base, but when it comes to matters of fairness and political correctness, there will always be a group of people who are offended.
Amid the heated dispute over whether Starbucks’ cups are offensive or innocent, Dunkin’ Donuts seems to have made a low-key stand on the matter when the coffee company came out with its new cup design.
Dunkin’ recently revealed its holiday cup design, which is decorated with the DD logo disguised as red holly berries, and green pine branches that encircle the word “Joy”, which is printed in red lettering.
Scott Hudler, a VP for Dunkin’ Brands, said in a statement to Fox 5 News that this isn’t the case at all. In reality, the cups are actually just the annual holiday design that Dunkin’ Donuts uses every year during the winter season.
“For many years Dunkin’ Donuts has served coffee in festive cups featuring the word ‘joy’ as part of our annual celebration of the season and holiday offerings. We believe this conveys the happiness and spirit of the holiday season in a way that resonates with our guests.”
So despite the rumors, the company wasn’t actually trying to make a statement about its stance on the popular red cup controversy through its own holiday cup design, but rather Dunkin’ Donuts just happened to release its holiday cup at the right time.
What do you think of Dunkin’ Donuts’ holiday cups?
[Image via Dunkin’ Donuts & Starbucks/Instagram]
