Q] What was the core cultural insight that inspired the #HumariSpecialJagah campaign this Diwali?
#HumariSpecialJagah is a campaign very thoughtfully crafted based on how we see people celebrate Diwali. It reimagines connection - from childhood memories in familiar hometowns to new bonds formed in new cities. And it really underscores Starbucks' longstanding commitment to the ‘Third place’ where the feeling of belongingness, which is a home away from home, comes to life, gets elevated even further for Diwali. Last year, we did #MeriSpecialJagah, which was a story about a small-town boy who goes back home and he realises that his mom has to do a lot for Diwali, and as guests come home, he invites them and takes them to his special place, which is Starbucks. This year it is really reimagined to say that families are actually chosen families as well. Families who we've formed bonds with in newer cities. It could be neighbours, friends, loved ones. And people celebrate Diwali even with those chosen families. #HumariSpecialJagah, therefore, becomes a modern twist on how people celebrate Diwali.
Q] How are you planning to promote this campaign across media channels?
So, a lot of planning goes into ensuring higher reach when there is such a special message that we want most people to see and to celebrate and to be a part of. We choose certain digital channels that are very important, that help us drive reach, but also engagement. A lot of short form content is created. So, keeping in mind how users are consuming content today, different channels, youth channels and high reach channels, a combination of all of these largely on digital is how it comes together for us.
Well, we've done a lot of collaborations. They're mostly all credible collaborations where influencers or even thought leaders come to the store. They really bring their families here. They experience the warmth and belongingness at the store. They order themselves saffron and marigold based beverages. And really, there is something for everybody at Starbucks. Like, right from a frappuccino to a saffron latte to a chai even. It really caters across all age groups. Then there's lots of festive desserts that are also reimagined in a very Starbucks way. So, think of a simple cheesecake with a fried malpua on top, it really enhances the flavour and makes it very Diwali-like. Everything is reimagined to make it special - very Starbucks coded, I would say, is something that we see influencers, collaborators do a lot of. But, we've also done a special collaboration this time with Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. The designer has long embodied the richness of Indian couture. They've curated a special hamper for us, which is designed in true elegance. There's a cup that really brings to life the Indian heritage in a very tasteful way. There is a Diwali blend (coffee) which is part of the hamper that really is a Starbucks signature. Only the finest quality Arabica beans in a blonde roast, which also embodies warmth for Diwali. Then there's a Mehbooba candle, which is again Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla's signature. That can be chosen to be a part of the hamper or a French press that helps you brew not just a cup of coffee, but a lot of memories together during Diwali.
Q] You've also collaborated with Sabyasachi or Anamika Khanna before and now with Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. So, how different will this creative collaboration be for Starbucks?
Every creator and every artist has something to offer differentially. So a lot of people might resonate with what Sabyasachi's design style is, and then when we design for Diwali, we see that Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla bring their excellence and their artistry and craftsmanship to see how their style and Diwali can come together in a very Starbucks way. That's where this entire design, thinking of the ivory, the gold, the silhouettes, the palaces, the peacocks, all of these things kind of come together very nicely on the design.
Q] What role does localisation play in shaping the festive menu and how do you balance Indian flavours with the Starbucks identity?
While we think of how standardised the global appeal of Starbucks is, there are a lot of smaller intricate details and nuances that go into thinking for any kind of festival. Since we are speaking about Diwali right now, I would just kind of focus on that to say that you think about ingredients, like, for example, saffron, it's a very premium ingredient that's used only for festivities. Or for example, use of marigold, I don't think that marigold has been imagined in food or beverages ever before, while we've used marigold all our lives to decorate our homes. A touch of the rose. It really brings the whole Indian culture, festiveness into life through beverages. And again, they're using the best quality beans to really make this handcrafted beverage for you. While when we think of food, it's again a nice fusion of how traditional sweets can be thought through in a more different format or in a different style. Like, for example, if you think of a tiramisu, everybody loves a tiramisu, but a saffron and a pistachio tiramisu really hits the nail on the head, when you think of Diwali. So, that's how localisation comes into play. It's really a balance of connection, warmth and innovation that goes together to bring something like this to life.
Q] How is Starbucks measuring impact beyond visibility or reach, in terms of emotional resonance and community engagement?
How do you measure warmth; there are two or three ways. One is, do consumers like to come more often to Starbucks during such moments, such as Durga Puja, Diwali, these festive moments. There is a lot of work that goes behind creating that resonance, creating that local appeal. So footfalls are a great way to measure. The other is our partners themselves, the store partners who really day in day out interact with a lot of consumers and the kind of feedback that they get is more real time and they are happy to make that more special for consumers during such festive moments. So that is a very important channel for us to be able to learn and see both quantitatively as well as qualitatively what warmth and belongingness means to consumers for Diwali.
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