Starbucks operates more than 25,000 stores in 75 countries. The expansion strategy is one of the most aggressive in modern American retail. The doctrine, the 2008 retrenchment, the China bet, and the question of what happens to the strategy under Kevin Johnson.
Starbucks just spent three weeks managing the most awkward PR crisis a beverage brand can have — proving that its signature drink does not actually contain pumpkin. The Food Babe investigation, the rapid corporate response, and the reformulation that turned criticism into a relaunch narrative.
Starbucks just simplified its logo, removing the wordmark and centering the siren. The visual change is modest. The strategic statement is large. Why the redesign matters and what brand consultants are going to be referencing for years.