Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may sit on Groupon’s board. But the Seattle coffee retailer appears to have developed a taste for Google Offers.
As part of a one-time promotion on Wednesday, customers of Google Offers will receive the chance to buy a $10 Starbucks gift card for just $5. Now, here’s the twist. Google Offers plans to donate up to $3 on each offer, up to $3 million, to the Create Jobs for USA Fund.
Working in conjunction with the Opportunity Finance Network, Starbucks last year set up the “Create Jobs for USA” program. To date, more than $7.5 million has been raised for the program, and the new partnership with Google and Banana Republic could ring up another $4 million, according to Reuters.
“Create Jobs for USA gives individual Americans and like-minded businesses the ability to take an active role in helping to address our national jobs emergency,” Schultz said in a statement today. “We’re inviting other businesses to join us and get involved through donations, awareness campaigns and customer outreach so that we can accelerate this program and amplify the success we’ve had so far in creating and retaining jobs throughout the country. The support from Google Offers and Banana Republic are exceptional examples of how companies in different industries with different customer bases can use their scale for good to help communities thrive.”
The effort seems like a good one, but I am still struck by the fact that Starbucks allied with one of Groupon’s top rivals on the promotion. Seems like a big score for up-and-comer Google Offers. Perhaps after Groupon’s disappointing financial results last week, the Chicago company couldn’t afford to participate in the campaign.
