Cyabra’s November analysis of the Starbucks barista strike revealed that this major brand crisis spiked sharply leading up to Starbucks’ Red Cup Day.
- Content volume exploded by over 1,000% on November 12-13, strategically timed with Starbucks’ Red Cup Day promotion
- Negative sentiment toward Starbucks surged to 51.5% while positive sentiment plummeted to just 18.7% during the protest period
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders supported the protest, their content gaining millions of views and thousands of engagements
- Fake profiles played a key role in a coordinated campaign sharing Fox News articles attacking Mayor Mamdani.
Political Amplification: Mayor Mamdani and Senator Sanders Change the Game
When political figures entered the conversation, the reach expanded exponentially. Analysis shows a direct correlation between their posts and the spike in negative sentiment towards the brand.
Fake Profiles and Coordinated Attacks
Our systems identified a cluster of inauthentic accounts amplifying divisive content. These bots were programmed to retweet negative news stories at high frequency during peak hours.
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Most social media crises reach peak intensity within 24–48 hours and begin to decline after 5–7 days if handled well. However, poor response can extend crisis duration to weeks. The key is swift acknowledgment and consistent communication during the first critical 48 hours.
Remaining silent is often the biggest error. Silence allows misinformation to spread unchecked and makes the brand appear indifferent. It is crucial to monitor sentiment and respond strategically rather than hoping the storm will pass on its own.
