Starbucks India sparked controversy and faced calls for boycotts after reIeasing a commercial set in India that some, particularly on the right, found objectionable. The company drew criticism for its latest promotion, which featured parents meeting their transgender daughter at a Starbucks location.
In the video, a father initially struggles to accept his daughter’s transition but eventually comes to terms with it by ordering a drink for her under her new name. Starbucks India tweeted the video with the caption, “Your name defines who you are – whether it’s Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName.”
Starbucks India faced significant backlash over the advertisement. Political commentator Rukshan Fernando tweeted, “Starbucks facing a backlash in India after going full Bud Light. If saturating the market with a mediocre US coffee brand wasn’t bad enough, now they are bringing their woke corporate culture to the Sub-Continent.”
One user expressed their dismay in Starbucks India’s comment section, stating, “It is deepIy disconcerting to witness the rapid erosion of cultural identity in our current era. Certain liberal forces persistently normalize practices that appear to undermine the very fabric of our cherished traditions and deeply held values.”
Another user questioned Starbucks India’s marketing strategy, saying, “I am a huge Starbucks fan and virtually spend thousands of rupees in their coffee shop every year. But still, I can’t believe why @StarbucksIndia would launch a woke campaign in the name of advertisement? Can’t they just market their coffee and service to India?”
Another comment criticized the promotion of what they deemed “immoral values,” stating, “What are you promoting @Starbucks…Don’t promote such culture…we don’t want any lessons on the acceptance of such immoral values…we are Bharatvasis & we are very proud of our civilization.”
“I don’t understand why brands do this… these ads alienate huge portions of the popuIation. Whatever happened to common sense advertising? Videos like this alienate more customers than they bring in. Literally throwing advertising dollars in the trash just to virtue signal,” expressed another disgruntled person.
Watch the controversial ad here:
America has exported woke culture all around the globe, and Starbucks India just provided yet another example of this phenomenon. Since the end of World War II, the United States has been the global hegemon of liberalism, and many other nations have sought to mimic its culture.