Starbucks Korea (hereafter Starbucks) plans to resume its summer promotion that it postponed a month after the "Tank Day" marketing controversy. It will center on launching new summer beverages and merchandise (MD). Because negative public opinion flared after controversy over marketing that appeared to mock the May 18 Democratization Movement anniversary, the "e-frequency goods" giveaway event that drives consumer purchases will be excluded.
According to the industry on the 17th, Starbucks will run the temporarily postponed Summer 1 promotion from the 23rd to July 26. Typically, Starbucks has conducted its summer promotion alongside the frequency event, but this time it decided not to hold the frequency event.
On the 18th of last month, Starbucks said in a notice, "Due to the current situation, we are reorganizing and reviewing scheduled major events with a heavy sense of responsibility and self-restraint," and added, "We inform you that the Summer 1 promotion and the summer e-frequency event are being temporarily postponed. We will announce the rescheduled timeline later."
Originally, this year's Summer 1 promotion was to be held twice from the 28th of last month to July 26. The first phase was from the 28th of last month to the 25th of this month, and the second phase was from the 26th to July 26. Then, on the 15th, Starbucks informed partners via an internal notice, "We have finalized that only the products and merchandise already prepared for the Summer 1 promotion will be launched, and the summer e-frequency will not be held."
Through the Summer 1 promotion, Starbucks will launch four new beverages, five new food items, and a total of 16 MD items. However, given that backlash remains due to the recent marketing controversy, it is expected to avoid large-scale marketing using social media (SNS), among other channels.
Meanwhile, all executives of the E-MART institutional sector and headquarters executives of SCK Company (Starbucks) gathered at "Shinsegae Namsan," the in-house training center in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, and took a history awareness lecture from 10 a.m. At the same time, general employees at SCK Company headquarters also participated in the training via a live in-house broadcast.
The lecturers were Oh Je-yeon, professor in the Department of History at Sungkyunkwan University, and Koo Jung-woo, professor in the Department of Sociology at Sungkyunkwan University.
In Professor Oh's lecture on historical awareness, the instruction conveyed that democratization movements took place to build the Republic of Korea as a "democratic republic," and that they were achieved through the efforts of citizens and the people. Professor Oh cited as representative democratization movements in modern Korean history: ▲ the April 19 Revolution in 1960 ▲ the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising in 1979 ▲ the May 18 Democratization Movement in 1980 ▲ the June Democratic Uprising in 1987. Professor Oh lectured to the effect that "belittling, distorting, or denying democratization movements ultimately undermines the identity of the Republic of Korea." Oh said, "While various opinions on historical facts should be respected, there is a line that must be kept, and the standard should be based on Article 1 of the Constitution, which says 'The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic.'"
In a lecture addressing social sensitivity and ethical standards, Professor Koo presented cases such as an advertisement by the British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) that sparked controversy for mocking Palestine. Koo said, "Corporate marketing must have cultural, social, ethical, and religious sensitivity," and added, "Exclude themes or images that may cause discomfort, and conduct responsible and inclusive marketing."
Starbucks partners will gather by store for training after early closing at 3 p.m. on the 22nd. On the 24th, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin is scheduled to attend a history awareness lecture with affiliate heads before the presidents' meeting. Employees of other affiliates in the E-MART institutional sector will also take lectures online over two weeks starting on the 1st of next month. This is a group-level response to the Tank Day controversy, following Chairman Chung's public apology on the 26th of last month.