Starbucks is wrapping its drinks, gift cards and coffee packages in festive and customizable holiday designs the brand hopes will inspire joy and gift-giving among its customers.
Revealed today at the coffee chain’s 15,000-plus U.S. outlets, “Red Cup Season” signals the unwrapping of the leading coffee chain's holiday marketing season, generating excitement—and the occasional controversy.
This year, Starbucks has four new cups, each featuring a combination of its signature holiday red and green with flashes of shimmering lilac. There are also new food and beverage items and the return of others.
Suzie Reecer, associate creative director at Starbucks Creative Studio, the in-house agency that produced the campaign, in an interview said that this year’s designs are distinguished by customizable “gift tags” printed on the cups. This design draws inspiration from baristas known for having used cups to jot their own messages to customers over the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ad plans include 15-second commercials, full-page ad placements in weekly magazines, display banners, custom content and social posts.