Starbucks shows its softer side with ‘Every table has a story’

Iris has a good track record with Starbucks advertising. It’s “What’s your name?” campaign, telling the story of a transgender person’s name change, took home Gold at Cannes last year and won Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising prize.

This new work, “Every table tells a story,” is less campaigning but still thought-provoking. It positions Starbucks as an inclusive “third space” where all are welcome to sit around and do their own thing as they drink coffee and make use of the free wi-fi.

Eli Vasiliou, group creative director at Iris, said: “Starbucks’ mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time. This campaign is no exception. At every table, in every store, real life is playing out. Through a cinematic lens, we’ve told the small but powerful story of one inspirational woman, leaving behind a legacy that demonstrates the emotional punch of creative storytelling.”

It’s nicely done and right on brand, if a little bit soppy.

MAA creative scale: 7

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About Emma Hall

Emma Hall is a journalist and editorial consultant and is the former Europe Editor of Ad Age, where she covered European marketing advertising, digital and media stories. She has written for newspapers including the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times and the Telegraph, and was previously a section editor at Campaign. Emma started her career in New York as a researcher for a biography of Keith Richards.