What goes well with being forced to discuss politics with people who disagree with you? Piping hot coffee.
The Hill reports Starbucks is partnering with startup firm Hi From the Other Side to encourage people to have discussions with their political opponents.
Hi From the Other Side claims the program works to “pair nice people across the political divide to talk like neighbors. Not to convince, but to understand.”
According to the Hi the Other Side website, the first few participants matched to meet up in person will receive Starbucks e-gift cards to be redeemed together at a local Starbucks location.
For people who may just want to take advantage of the free gift card without enduring the awkwardness of being asked about politics, the site notes, “This means you'll have to show up and put your pieces together to unlock the gift card.”
A Starbucks spokesperson told Eater the company “donated gift cards to Hi From the Other Side to help encourage participants to meet in-person for the important conversations the program facilitates.”
The conversation guide provided by Hi From the Other Side suggests people should assume “positive intentions” during their discussions, “use ‘I’ statements,” “lean into discomfort,” and “embrace silence.” The guide also provides sample questions, such as, “When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? How did you come to that idea?” “Think back to before the election, what were you most hopeful about? What were you most afraid of?” and “What is one thing you like about my candidate?”
While Hi From the Other Side cannot guarantee the conversations won’t escalate to shouting matches--or coffee being thrown in people’s faces--they say they try to match people who “seem nice.”
Although Starbucks did not create the Hi From the Other Side initiative, it echoes the company’s short-lived and failed Race Together campaign. During the Race Together campaign, baristas wrote the phrase “race together” on coffee cups to encourage patrons to discuss race issues.
Race Together was reportedly inspired by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz being personally affected by the riots in Ferguson and the decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who fatally shot Mike Brown.
Starbucks has recently suffered a loss in brand perception as a result of their decision to hire 10,000 refugees by 2022.
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