AI Generated Image
South Korea’s Starbucks Shut Early After ‘Tank Day’ Promotion Debacle
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Starbucks South Korea closed all 2,000+ stores early at 3 p.m. on Monday to conduct mandatory training on historical awareness and cultural sensitivity for its 24,000 employees.
- The training was in response to backlash over a recent marketing campaign called “Tank Day,” which coincided with the anniversary of a 1980 massacre of pro-democracy protesters by military tanks in Gwangju.
- The controversial campaign led to the removal of the advertisement, an apology from Starbucks Korea’s parent company Shinsegae Group, and the firing of the local CEO.
- Starbucks Korea revealed that employees had used artificial intelligence to create the campaign wording without understanding the historical context.
- The early store closures and training are part of Starbucks’ efforts to repair its damaged brand image and demonstrate commitment to cultural sensitivity.
