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Key Social Media Platforms Involved

1. X

2. TikTok

3. Instagram

How Social Media Influencers & Hashtags Amplified the Boycott

1. K-pop influence: A Starbucks collaboration with Taeyang (BTS) led to fans calling for BTS to end their partnership with the brand

Key Hashtags:

1. #BlockOut2024

2. #BoycottStarbucks.

Brand Response and PR Strategy in social media

1. Lack of Direct Engagement: Unlike Skechers, which actively countered the boycott, Starbucks did not issue a strong PR response.

2. Legal Action Backfired: The controversy started when Starbucks Workers United posted in solidarity with Palestine. Starbucks responded by suing the union, which amplified public outrage.

3. No Strategic Communication: While discussions surged in July 2024, Starbucks did not effectively communicate with consumers or attempt to control the narrative.

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Social Media Platforms

1. Key Social Media Platforms Involved

Twitter/X: Main platform where hashtags and viral tweets fueled discussions.

Instagram: Users shared boycott-related posts, reels, and stories.

TikTok: Short videos explaining the reasons behind the boycott gained traction.

Facebook: News articles and boycott discussions were shared in groups.

How Social Media Influencers & Hashtags Amplify the Starbucks Boycott

Social media influencers

- Influencers often have highly engaged audiences who trust their opinions. When they voice support for a boycott, their followers are likely to take action.

- Influence followers with engaging videos, and call-to-action posts to encourage their followers to boycott Starbucks

- Example: Azharuddin (@azha_nordin)

Hashtags

- When a boycott-related hashtag (e.g., #BoycottStarbucks) gains traction, it trends on platforms like X (Twitter) and TikTok, reaching users beyond the original audience.

- Users searching for related topics can easily find posts and discussions through a simple hashtag click.

- Hashtags unite like-minded consumers, creating a collective movement where people share reasons for supporting the boycott.

- Examples: #BoycottStarbucks, #StarbucksSupportsX, #NotMyCoffee, #SupportLocalCafes

Brand responses & PR strategies

Brand responses:

Starbucks did not clearly state its position. At the same time, Starbucks led others by saying that it did not provide any actual help to Israel.

1. They expressed their empathy.

2. They said they did their best to help the suffering people.

3. They didn't answer the question directly.

PR strategies:

Symmetrical communication

Discussion

1.Effectiveness of PR Tactics in Starbucks’ Boycott Response

• Public Statements – Starbucks issued clarifications but remained neutral, leading to mixed reactions. The lack of a clear stance reduced its credibility and emotional connection with the audience.

• Social Media Engagement – The company responded to concerns on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, but its corporate tone felt impersonal. It did not engage directly with viral trends or boycott leaders, limiting its impact.

• Damage Control – Starbucks shifted focus to new products and community initiatives instead of addressing the controversy directly. While this helped retain loyal customers, it did not win back those supporting the boycott.

2. Impact of User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content played a significant role in amplifying the boycott:

• Hashtags like #BoycottStarbucks and #FreePalestine kept the controversy trending on Twitter (X), Instagram, and TikTok.

• Viral TikTok videos showed customers throwing away Starbucks products and vandalized stores, reinforcing negative sentiment.

• Influencers and activists with large followings endorsed the boycott, increasing its visibility. Their posts reached millions of people, making the boycott hard for Starbucks to contain.

3. PR Professionals and Crisis Management

How can PR professionals handle user-generated movements more effectively?

Should brands engage more directly with viral content, or let it pass?

How can Starbucks (or any brand) turn a boycott into an opportunity for brand loyalty and transparency?

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The key social media platforms involved are Instagram, X, and Tik Tok. For instance, the influencer such as Shabina had posted a recommendation lists about other shoe brands to choose them other than Skechers. In addition, Ree Zha as a twitter influencer, post a posting about new lists of boycott's products which Sketcher included because of they overly insensitive about the victims of Palestinians. Hashtags such as #skecher #boycott help to viral the content. Finally, the boycott on Skechers did not last long. Social media conversations about boycott Skechers were overshadowed by collaborated with ElleMen that invited famous actors in Thailand which is ApoNattawin as Skechers brand ambassador. This can overshadow this situation because ApoNattawin has a positive image and contains a strong relationship with his audiences as influencers can help repair the brand's image.

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Key Social Media Platform:

Instagram

X

TikTok

Social media influencers & hashtags

Influencers leading the public to support  this movement by posting contents like infographics, videos

Hashtags like #BOYCOTTDisney, #BoikotDisney put pressure on Disney to respond and made the controversy more visible to the public

Some social media influencer made a video to explain about the #Freepalestine that a character who is involved in anti-Palestinian.

#JiminxJungkook & #Areyousure are showing fans of Kpop urging members Jimin and Jungkook to cancel their upcoming “Are You Sure” show on disney.

Brand response & PR strategies

ignored the issue and redirecting attention to other topics

Rather than directly responding to social media backlash, Disney focused on promoting the film to show its determination on the decision

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Zhi Jie(ADT2404351), Yeng Xun(ADT2209925),

Cai Jun(ADT2404349) , Yu Qi(ADT2404343)

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1) Identify key social media platform involved

TikTok: the hashtag #boycottstarbucks used on 7,000 TikTok videos in the US with combined 51 million views.

X: #BoycottStarbucks has been widely utilized in response to various controversies involving the company.

2) How social media influencers and hashtags amplified the boycott

Azra Nordin's Call for Boycott:
Azra Nordin, a Malaysian influencer, has reportedly called for a boycott of Starbucks, citing the company's perceived stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Social Media Impact:
This call for a boycott has gained traction on social media platforms, particularly Instagram, where it has been shared and amplified by other users.

Hashtag created awareness and Virality: The boycott gained traction, especially on social media platforms such as TikTok and X, where the hashtag #boycottstarbucks had millions of views. Many continue to say that Starbucks is either or indirectly supporting Israel.

3) Brand response and PR Strategy in social media

The statement from Starbucks Malaysia, titled “Truth matters,” addresses misinformation and clarifies the company’s values and beliefs. While the full content of the statement is not provided, it emphasizes Starbucks’ commitment to transparency and the importance of sharing accurate information with the public.

Key Points:

• Addressing Misinformation

• Commitment to Transparency

• Core Values and Beliefs

Pr strategies

1. Official Statements Clarifying Position

2. Emphasis on Inclusivity and Cultural Sensitivity

3. Disabling Social Media Comments

4. Global Advertising Pause

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This infographic presents findings about boycott movements in July targeted towards Starbucks, Disney and Skechers in Malaysia & Indonesia.

Based on the report:

Case Study Analysis: In a group of 6, each group to select a different brand (Starbucks, Disney, or Skechers) from the report. Each group will analyze how social media played a role in the boycott of their assigned brand. [there will be 2 groups for each brand]

Identify the key social media platforms involved.

Discuss how social media influencers and hashtags amplified the boycott.

Assess the brand's response and PR strategies on social media.

Discussion: Groups will present their findings and discuss the effectiveness of the PR tactics used by each brand in response to the boycotts. Emphasize the impact of user-generated content and how PR professionals can engage with such movements.