On August 4th, reports emerged that individual Starbucks store employees were allegedly making inappropriate gestures, facial expressions, and offensive remarks toward promotional posters of brand ambassador Jay Chou. These actions were described as insulting by some online observers.
Starbucks official customer service responded to a financial media inquiry, stating: "We are very pleased to collaborate with Jay Chou. We have taken note of the relevant information and have already forwarded it to the appropriate departments for follow-up and handling. The employee's personal actions do not represent the brand's position. Please rest assured that we will handle the matter appropriately. Thank you!" Starbucks had previously announced that Jay Chou would officially serve as the brand's first-ever global ambassador.
As of the time of this report, Starbucks corporate communications had not issued any further public statement.