That formed part of the brand’s ongoing “Back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy, led by CEO Brian Niccols, designed to “enhance the in-store experience.” This included the return of the condiment bar, baristas writing on cups, and a revised code of conduct.
Recent campaigns have included “Together at Starbucks” from Anomaly, and a sell-out holiday merch run that included a viral limited-edition teddy bear tumbler which people camped outside stores for.
Despite employee strikes and consumer boycotts, the turnaround plan is starting to pay off for Starbucks, which returned to U.S. same-store sales growth in the latest quarter after two years of declines. In Q1, $7.3 billion of its net revenues came from North America, up 3% year-on-year.
Lieberman said one in three customers said Starbucks was their first choice on their list of coffee shops to visit, “the highest it’s been in five years.”
“We’ve grown our traffic for both rewards and non-rewards members for the first time in nearly four years,” she added. “We’re getting back to brand love and getting that flywheel moving.”
A Super Bowl-Olympics Crossover
Starbucks isn’t the only brand investing in an Olympics-Super Bowl crossover campaign.
AB InBev’s Michelob Ultra is touting its Milano Cortina sponsorship during the event with an ad fronted by Hollywood icon Kurt Russell.
“We know there’s going to be so much pre-game coverage talking about the Olympics,” said Lieberman. “So it felt like we could create one big moment with two big stages coming together. It’s been a part of our planning process since we signed our partnership with the Olympic team.
The company is set to go big on the ground with a roastery in Millan serving coffee to athletes and spectators, as well as Olympic merchandise.
Last year, the Monday after the Super Bowl, Starbucks inserted itself into fans’ post-game ritual by offering members a free hot drink; it has not yet confirmed whether it will do the same in 2026.
