Why controversy is good for Starbucks

Starbucks Corp.’s plan to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years (in its stores in 75 countries around the globe) has proved to be one of the socially progressive retailer’s most controversial moves to date.



The initiative, a response to President Trump’s executive order barring refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, has many conservatives and Trump supporters calling for a boycott of the coffee chain.



Starbucks doesn’t seem particularly worried about the controversy. And some experts say that by tying its brand to certain values and political beliefs, Starbucks has found a way to differentiate itself, establishing a higher-end image that persuades customers (at least those that have the same values) to pay more for beverages than they would at another outlet, according to Business Insider.



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