Work/Starbucks Japan
In today's world where big brands circle the globe, it’s essential that core values don't get lost in translation. Case in point, while Starbucks' foray into Japan is the company's most successful outside North America, crossing the Pacific needed sensitive navigation to a destination culture known to be, er, a bit slow to adopt new ideas. The magic ticket was to strike organic harmony between the trend-driven American brand and local ways.
Working intimately alongside Starbucks Japan and multiple media partners on seasonal campaigns revealed many of these, more and less subtle cultural nuances of style, tastes and behaviour. Together we considered these - from washed lighting and colour desaturation, for example, to the slightest uptick of facial expression - strategically assimilating them at every touch-point whether seasonal promotional photography, web content development or video story-telling.
Still, the brand's powerful common denominator decodes beautifully. Starbucks is essentially about sharing experiences and stories among the millions who convene there to share a coffee each day... whether in Toronto, Tokyo or Timbuktu (ok, maybe not quite there yet).
Brand strategy
Creative content creation & development
Art Direction
Photography & illustration development
_ultimately, Starbucks is a place for people to meet, share stories and experiences
