Starbucks' 2015 Red Holiday Cups (Photo : Twitter)
Starbucks' red holiday coffee cup has been a yearly tradition for almost two decades, but this year's plain version has caused controversy due to the lack of Christmas décor on past drink containers including snowflakes, string lights, reindeer, evergreen trees, stars, snowmen, and ribbons. It is unclear if the coffeehouse chain wanted to create online buzz, but it resulted in a big debate on social media.
One often-cited Facebook post has caused many comments on the issue. It argued that Starbucks "REMOVED CHRISTMAS" from the cup because it is anti-religious.
Meanwhile, another person tweeted that there are better ways Starbucks could get into the spirit of the season. Instead of making red holiday cups it could donate the money directly to charities such as soup kitchens.
The coffee cups created such a controversy that on November 8, Sunday, Starbucks made a statement on its website. For several years the company's holiday drink containers were inspired by customers who drew designs on their cups.
It explained that the plain red cups are like an artist's blank canvas. Latte, cappuccino, and tea drinkers can create their own "stories" on them.
In fact, the cup is itself a work of art. The top color is a bright poppy color, while the bottom is a darker cranberry shade.
Starbucks cups have also caused controversy in the past. In March the company launched a program that trained baristas how to start talks with customers about race relations, according to The New York Times.
This year the coffee company has added special blends for the holiday season including cinnamon and peppermint, and gingerbread loafs. Procter & Gamble's former chief marketing officer Jim Stengel argued that the company is not being disingenuous about the red coffee containers. It is still a holiday cup.
Starbucks launched its first holiday cup in 1997, according to E!
Here is an augmented reality app for Starbucks holiday cups:
