Starbucks India created controversy and faced demands for boycotts after releasing a commercial set in India that drew criticism, notably from the right-wing community. The firm faced criticism for its most recent promotional effort, which depicted parents greeting their transgender daughter at a Starbucks location.
In the video, a father struggles to accept his daughter’s transition but eventually accepts it by ordering a drink for her under her new name. Starbucks India posted the video to Twitter with the statement, “Your name defines who you are, whether it’s Arpit or Arpita.” Starbucks loves and accepts you for who you are. Because being yourself is everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName.”
The advertisement faced significant backlash, with political commentator Rukshan Fernando tweeting, “Starbucks facing backIash in India after adopting a full Bud Light approach. Introducing a mediocre US coffee brand to the market wasn’t bad enough; now they bring their woke corporate culture to the Subcontinent.”
In Starbucks India’s comment section, one user expressed dismay, stating, “It’s deepIy concerning to witness the rapid erosion of cultural identity in our era. Certain liberal forces persistently normalize practices that seem to undermine our cherished traditions and values.”
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Another user questioned Starbucks India’s marketing approach, commenting, “I’m a huge Starbucks fan and spend thousands of rupees in their coffee shops annually. But I can’t comprehend why @StarbucksIndia would launch a woke campaign under the guise of advertising? Can’t they just promote their coffee and service in India?”
A different comment criticized the promotion of what they deemed “immoraI values,” asserting, “What are you promoting @Starbucks… Don’t endorse such cultural shifts… We don’t need any lessons on accepting such immoral values… We are Bharatvasis, and we take pride in our civilization.”
“I don’t understand why brands do this… these ads alienate huge portions of the population. Whatever happened to common-sense advertising? Videos like this alienate more customers than they attract. Literally wasting advertising dollars just to virtue signaI,” expressed another disgruntled individual.
Watch the controversial ad here:
