Starbucks

Cool, calm, caffeinated.

Starbucks had been in the energy category before. But nothing had really landed. The landscape was owned by Red Bull, Monster, and a growing wave of newcomers like Celsius and Prime. The challenge wasn’t just entering the space. It was finding a way in that felt unmistakably Starbucks.

I led the creative studio design in partnership with Pepsi, and the brief was clear: create a pack design that was bold and graphic enough to hold its own in the cooler, but strategically true to a brand built on warmth, craft, and everyday ritual. Energy without the aggression. Disruption without abandoning what people love about Starbucks.

We pushed the visual system further than Starbucks typically goes, leaning into color and graphic punch while anchoring every decision in brand truth. The result was a can that felt new but not foreign. Something that could sit next to a Monster or a Celsius and still say, unmistakably, this is Starbucks. Premium but approachable. Energizing but grounded.

The retail experience carried that same tension. Grocery aisles, convenience store coolers, end caps. Each moment designed to signal a different kind of energy. Not louder. Just better.

The campaign brought it all to life. BBDO created a spiritual sequel to the Emmy-nominated “Glen” spot from 2004, bringing back “Eye of the Tiger” for a new office hero named Roy. The spot launched on Peacock and Bravo, supported by a GIPHY series that extended the irreverent energy across social.

The work landed in the top 2% of US ads for sales impact. Purchase intent jumped from 11% to 50% after viewing. Brand recall hit 77%, nearly ten points above average. And the spot set Starbucks apart from every other energy drink in the category.

This time, Starbucks didn’t just enter the category. They owned it.