MyCampaigningSpace

Bex Wiles talks about the role of MySpace in promoting Oxfam’s Starbucks campaign.

''“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation!”'' ''The main aim of the campaign is to help Ethiopia get a fair share of its coffee profits.'' ''MySpace/starbucksaction features blogs, facts and videos, clearly stating the issues and giving advice on how to take action against Starbucks.''

In May 2006, Marketwatch reported that the internet phenomenon MySpace.com recorded 50 million visitors. This is virtually the equivalent of the entire UK population visiting the site in just one month! It is no surprise then that a 22 year-old anonymous female is using the site to generate interest and support for Oxfam’s anti-Starbucks campaign.

MySpace/starbucksaction features blogs, facts and videos, clearly stating the issues and giving advice on how to take action against Starbucks. It seems that this way of advertising is very successful as the page boasts over 3,000 ‘friends’, and receives comments of support almost every day. I personally was very inspired by the page and have encouraged my friends to join me in boycotting Starbucks and supporting local coffee shops instead.

The main aim of the campaign is to help Ethiopia get a fair share of its coffee profits. It claims “control of coffee names could bring an estimated $88 million a year extra to Ethiopia and help towards lifting millions of Ethiopians out of poverty”. When accompanied by the fact that “Starbucks alone has already made more than $5.8 billion in net revenue this year” it is no wonder that a mass of individuals is coming together to fight this injustice.

The thing that impressed me most about the Starbucks Action MySpace is that it not only states the facts, but also provides a number of practical ways to show support and make a difference. Ideas range from adding the profile as your favourite MySpace friend, to sending an automated fax to Starbucks.

In a country where political support appears to be turning from political parties to pressure groups, many people seem more inclined to support initiatives such as this. Oxfam reports that 85,000 people have sent a fax to Starbucks CEO Mr Donald.

An article published by The Times in November also gives hope that this campaign is being recognised. The headline reads: “Ethiopian coffee trademark dispute may leave Starbucks with nasty taste” – this seems perfectly fair, as it is Ethiopia’s rich coffee beans that give many of Starbucks coffees their intense flavour.

So once again there seems to be a battle between large corporations and less economically developed countries stricken by poverty. I only hope that people will continue to support campaigns such as this, because it is when we unite that we can make a difference. It is up to us to make choices that affect the lives of others.

I leave you with an encouraging quote made by Nelson Mandela in 2005: “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation!”