As Starbucks Turns 50, It Celebrates the Power of Coffee to Connect in New Ad

Not long ago, in the depths of the pandemic, Starbucks faced an uncertain future due to plummeting sales and a growing concern over whether coffee drinkers would ever return to some semblance of their pre-Covid-19 routines. Now, with revenue rebounding well above its 2019 results, the coffee chain has discovered it is more relevant than ever as consumers seek human connection during their Starbucks runs. And it's that very act of socializing that Starbucks is celebrating in a new campaign that also commemorates its 50th anniversary under the tagline "Possible is just the beginning." After all, Starbucks began as a single store in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. “These little human interactions that people get every day that just prove they exist in the world and give their day meaning had been edged out over time, but really accelerated during the pandemic with social isolation, social distancing," CMO Brady Brewer told Adweek. "And so as a company whose mission has been built on the concept of human connection and nurturing the human spirit—as a company whose lifeblood is coffee, which has just naturally brought people together for centuries—it was like the stars aligned." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjm6MLqsAx0&t=60s In fact, Starbucks has heard that going to one of its cafes was frequently the only human contact its customers had outside their homes during the pandemic, Brewer pointed out. "As difficult and as challenging as the pandemic has been on a thousand different levels, as a brand it's almost been this incredible moment where we can look at it and say, 'This is what Starbucks was built for, this kind of moment,'" he said. The kind of human interactions you might observe in one of Starbucks' locations—like a regular coming in for his usual or a couple on their first date—are illustrated in a 60-second spot that began airing Oct. 4. "It's just this universal truth that whether it's a little conversation, or whether it's people that work, or it's family or friends or meeting a stranger, coffee has this natural convening power," Brewer said. Starbucks’ ‘I Am’ Campaign Supporting the Trans Community Earns Cannes Glass Grand Prix As China goes, so goes the world While serving up coffee provides a gathering point for people eager to reconnect with old acquaintances and make new ones, and has spurred Starbucks' recovery, its presence in China also played an important role in its ability to adapt to the pandemic. "Because our China team responded so quickly and thoughtfully to the pandemic," Brewer said, "we were able to learn from that very quickly and transfer the insights immediately." This is our moment to really amplify what we stand for as a company.Brandy Brewer, CMO, Starbucks The coffee chain used what it learned in China to map out its response in the U.S. and elsewhere, quickly identifying the actions it needed to take to protect its partners, customers and business. In fact, according to Brewer, the pandemic and the world's gradual reemergence has clarified Starbucks' brand purpose. "This is our moment to really amplify what we stand for as a company," he added, "rather than just talking about great coffee and great products." A 30-second spot will appear on broadcast and streaming, as well as digital video, social and audio channels this month. Spark Foundry is serving as media agency. To bring the overarching campaign to life, Starbucks' in-house creative team partnered with its creative agency of record, Big Spaceship, which it has worked with for five years. We The People provided production, Cut+Run handled editorial, The Mill provided color and finish, and Future Perfect handled music and sound design. Starbucks Highlights Commitment to Feeding Local Communities