So apparently Starbucks have ‘partnered’ with mermaids

[Kenworthington]

So the manager of my local one told me today. She looked aghast when I said I didn’t agree with it then as I started explaining, she had to take a drive through order. We had been chatting about my eldest ds being gay and she obv thought I’d approve of this collaboration. Hah. . I’m thinking of writing down where I stand on it and passing it to her. I take my elderly mum in there every day for a coffee and pastry. Not any more. Sigh. I hate thats it’s made me ‘that’ person

[Lordfrontpaw]

Well, if you really must - but make sure you have a suitable name they have to yell out (and make sure you are standing at the other end of the shop)

[SerendipityJane]

Starbucks planning meeting ...So ya'll, let's do something really cool. Something to distract people from the, ahem, unfortunate tax thing. Let's find the wokest, most vilified lobby group and support it with woke cookies!

It's a shame that these sort of meetings never managed to hit upon the sure fire winner of improving their customer service. Too late for me, I'm afraid. But it might just stop others drifting away.

[Lordfrontpaw]

more like - "we have a mermaid on the logo and look! we can make some mermaid cookies and the charity is called mermaid! what do they do again? Some charity or something... So cool, so on trend...'

[nonbnat]

Starbucks has partnered with Mermaids and have made one amazing advert in the process:

It really is amazing!!!

[Lordfrontpaw]

🤨

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

It’s channel 4! I’m sure the investigations will come (like Kids Company and they weren’t even remotely in the same league).

They will. Not by C4, but sooner or later.

[Lordfrontpaw]

Oh no - I didn’t mean by C4 (heaven forbid). I miss Panorama and what was the other one?

[Lordfrontpaw]

And I (polishes halo) always had concerns about Kids Company.

I knew a couple of people who worked for them (lovely people but not very ‘street’ if you know what I mean - very well meaning and unbelieving caring) and our school used to donate to them.

The more I read the more concerned I got that it was more of a cult built around a probably well meaning but naive woman, who thought that throwing money willy nilly at a problem would fix it.

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

Oh no - I didn’t mean by C4 (heaven forbid). I miss Panorama and what was the other one?

Dispatches? That is C4.

[saraclara]

I thought the feminist branch wasn't anti-trans, but just concerned for women's rights?

Can I ask what you think is wrong with that advert? It seems fine to me. I didn't see any mention of Mermaids on it. The story itself is simple and surely uncontroversial...assuming you're not transphobic?

[Lordfrontpaw]

Horizon? I’m thinking 70s and 90s.

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

Horizon is more about new developments in science. The Cook Report?

[Binterested]

Gender non conforming girls are actually boys ?

People called Gemma should not look like that ?

Corporates understand you when your family doesn’t ?

No it’s all fine by me And that’s before we get onto the grotesque horror of promoting the surgical transing of children.

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

Corporates understand you when your family doesn’t ?

Glitter family, innit.

[Lordfrontpaw]

So why not have:

Inside a local Starbucks, Anytown, Middle Englandshire.

It’s raining.

A cute barista steams his mugs and wipes down the foam nozzle on the coffee frother thingy.

Sad, slow plinky plonky/lily allen music plays.

The door opens

A young woman/girl - with cropped hair, rugby ball under her arm and a large spot at bag in the other steps inside and looks around.

Her team lost, and she is feeling sad.

Soggy, cold and caked in mud, her front tooth is missing.

She looks like she might stink a bit too.

She goes up to the counter and pauses.

What can I get you, young man?
Ummmm, errrr can I have a hot chocolate please?
Certainly sir - what’s the name?
“Jessica” thanks!

Music picks up, Jessica grins (tooth still missing) and picks up her hot chocolate.

Cup may say Jessica, Billy or D* (I’ve not yet decided how it’s going to go).

And cut - it’s a wrap.

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Every name's a story ... the story of mastectomies and sterilisation?

[BlindYeoSees]

Is this also a new thing by charities? Slight tangent but I heard adverts on the radio recently talkinga about loneliness and it was PG Tips advertising their partnership with Samaritans.

Not sure I'm fond of this new trend.

[Lordfrontpaw]

Wonder how much the ad cost?

[OldCrone]

If I didn't know that there was a subtext about sterilising children, I'd think that ad was just about a young woman who doesn't like her name, so she changes it.

[Kit19]

Charities have been partnering with corporates for years Blid but there’s been a definite push over the last 10 years from corporates to be far more front and centre in the partnerships. It’s no longer enough to donate behind the scenes or sponsor a ball or do some pro bono legal stuff. They want big adverts so they can write about how caring they are in the Corporate Social responsibility bit of their annual report. I would be 99% certain that Starbucks paid for that advert

[OhHolyJesus]

I like your version Lord and here's another alternative.

content warning*

please do not watch if you don't like post surgery images.

[Lordfrontpaw]

Back in my day, out CSR was staff going to local schools to read to the kids, buying local kids sports team new T-shirt’s, supplying the prizes for a chess tournament, encouraging staff to GAYE (give as you earn), having a benevolent society, getting staff to ‘adopt a pensioner’ (yes really)...

[Lordfrontpaw]

Glad you liked it @OhHolyJesus. 5 years at art school paid off eventually...

[Lordfrontpaw]

So 50p per gruesome biscuit is donated.

I suggest everyone takes a nice shiny 50p and donated it to something good.

[WotchaTalkinBoutWillis]

I'm with @saraclara on this one - I've just watched the advert, I'm not sure what exactly is wrong with it?
There's no safeguarding concerns, he's a transman just going into a coffee shop and saying his name?