The Way I See It…in bed

If you drink Starbucks, or are around people who drink Starbucks, you have been exposed to their “The Way I See It” campaign. The side of every coffee cup displays quotes from a wide variety of people from various walks of life. The original intention of the campaign was not to promote any political agenda, but to encourage dialogue on a variety of topics. Coffee shops around the globe are the houses of thought provoking conversation and personally, I think promoting more conversation in a coffee shop is brilliant; what better way to convince patrons to stay for another cup of java.

Starbucks has come under a lot of fire from groups across the political spectrum for this campaign. Each cup contains the following disclaimer “Please note: The opinions put forth by contributors to “The Way I See It” do not necessarily reflect the views of Starbucks.” This footnote on the cup has not stopped conservative groups from criticizing Starbucks for leaning to the left and promoting a liberal agenda. Some Christian groups have boycotted Starbucks over quotes that promote stem-cell research and support homosexuality. Starbucks’ success in creating a catalyst for conversation through this campaign is evident by the number of hits you get when typing “The Way I See It” and “Starbucks” into any internet search engine and the amount of controversy it has created.

This morning while enjoying my morning venti, I commented to my good friend that even with a few cups of Starbucks a week, I had yet to repeat a “The Way I See It” quote. Rather then engage in a discussion on today’s passage, dissecting the quote and analyzing its inner meanings, we agreed that “The Way I See It” campaign is like a 21st century fortune cookie, and like a fortune cookie, the addition “in bed” at the end of each passage intensifies the enjoyment of the tasty treat. The premise is simple, when sitting down for piping cup of coffee, read “The Way I See It” cup and end the quote with “In Bed.” Warning: Don’t actually drink the coffee when doing this exercise since it is pretty dangerous to shoot hot coffee out your nose.

Fortune Cookie:

• Confucius: Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall… in bed.

Starbucks Coffee Cup:

• Mo'Nique: F.A.T. (Fabulous and Thick) folks know that it’s the extras in life – like pounds, cash and love – that give us character. Embrace the extras, baby… in bed.
• Bonnie St. John: People fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster… in bed
• John Fabian: We live in a limitless world, but if we aim low we’ll surely miss the target… in bed.