Starbucks' ItStartsWithYourName talks about inclusivity

Starbucks has launched a new campaign #ItStartsWithYourName, highlighting the struggles and acceptance of the queer community in India.

TATA Starbucks launched a new campaign, #ItStartsWithYourName, with a renewed lens on personal connections and relationships. The brand film and communication aim to further the company’s positioning as being people first and creating interpersonal interactions and bringing alive how each experience is inclusive and feels like a homecoming. 

The Brand film opens with an elderly couple at a TATA Starbucks store, waiting for their son Arpit to arrive, with his father seemingly upset and the mother urging the father to remain composed. In the frame after, a nervous young girl approaches the couple and sits next to them. It is only then that audiences realise that the couple is meeting their transgender daughter for the first time. Cutting through the awkward tension between them, the father goes on to place the order for coffee. As the situation becomes awkward, the family hears the familiar voice of the Starbucks barista calling out ‘Three cold coffees for Arpita.’ She is pleasantly surprised on realising her father’s acceptance and they all tear up as the family reunites.  

To bring authenticity to the storytelling, TATA Starbucks worked with creative talents from the LGBTQIA+ community. The film was directed by Gaurav Gupta and features transgender model and actor Sia as the protagonist.

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Speaking about the campaign, Deepa Krishnan, Chief Marketing Officer, TATA Starbucks Pvt Ltd said, “Starbucks has always been a warm, welcoming space for its customers where relationships are fostered, and personal connections are celebrated over a cup of coffee. The unique Starbucks experience where everyone feels welcome is what drives our growth. At Starbucks, we are not in the coffee business serving people, but in the people business serving coffee, nurturing the limitless possibilities of human connection every day. With the #ItStartsWithYourName campaign – we hope to further drive the message of being a welcoming, inclusive brand where nothing matters to us more than our customers’ comfort. We understand that our customers enjoy and cherish their individuality and we are always ready to celebrate it with them.”

Further discussing the campaign, Ashutosh Munshi, Lead Advisor, Brand Marketing and Communications, Edelman said, “#ItStartsWithYourName – campaign brings to the fore the essence of the TATA Starbucks experience, where customers are recognized personally, by their names. This 360-degree, integrated campaign includes a new brand film and a suite of marketing communication assets that highlight Starbucks' unique ability to create a sense of belonging for its customers while making meaningful relationships.”

In addition to the brand film, the campaign also comprises product films for Picco, Masala Chai, Filter coffee, New Food menu and Milkshakes.

The `Picco` film will recognize the Indian consumer's need for a small cup size in beverages and shows the Starbucks barista helping a new customer choose the Picco size as she navigates the best option for her. The filter coffee film will showcase a mother-daughter duo catching up after a long time, at a Starbucks store.

The multimedia 360-degree campaign conceptualized by Edelman India will be amplified across Digital, Print, Radio and BTL initiatives.