Starbucks Chilled Coffee has launched a new EMEA platform, "WHATEVER YOUR THING, we’re in".
Created with AMV BBDO, the beverage brand is positioning its ready-to-drink products as a companion to individuality.
The campaign promotes Starbucks Chilled Coffee as a response to consumer behavior data around self-editing and social pressure.
"Starbucks has always been at its best when it brings people together with what they love," says Charlotta Oldham, marketing director EMEA at Starbucks Chilled Coffee, in a press release.
The platform is designed for long-term brand positioning targeting Gen Z and younger millennials.
A Cinematic Take on Individuality
The hero film follows longboard skater Jikal Hassan, weaving through a city while the world around her freezes mid-motion.
She moves between locations such as markets and open squares with the chilled beverage line integrated naturally into her routine.
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"Do Your Thing" by Maverick Sabre acts as the soundtrack, highlighting the rhythm of movement and individuality.
The product appears only in passing throughout the spot, emphasizing the "sidekick" branding choice.
Sidekick branding is when a brand deliberately decides to make its product secondary to the main story. And so, the person takes center stage, not the brand.
Cutdowns extend the idea into 10-second films showing different expressions of what "your thing" could be.
The campaign rollout spans short-form social edits, OOH placements, creator-led content, and retail activations featuring expressive characters across 59 EMEA markets.
Each creative work keeps the product secondary and spotlights the hero character, reinforcing the idea of authentic individuality and personality.
Data Rooted in Gen Z Behavior
The 'WHATEVER YOUR THING, we're in' launch draws on new research commissioned by Starbucks and conducted by Focaldata across the UK, Germany, and Spain.
The findings, shared in a press release, show that 88% of Gen Z and young millennials hide parts of themselves to fit in, and 93% feel pressure to tone themselves down in work and study settings.
The data suggest young people are worn out from having to edit themselves.
Instead, 72% say they would be happier simply being themselves in life's big moments.
This is why, Starbucks Chilled Coffee is positioning itself for exactly those moments, aiming to be seen as more than just a beverage.
It wants to show it's for the moments when people stop "performing" and just exist.
And with this sentiment, the spot becomes less about caffeine and more about emotional storytelling.
Our Take: Can Starbucks Win by Being the Sidekick?
"WHATEVER YOUR THING, we're in" could succeed because the brand doesn't seem to be fighting for attention.
It earns it by fitting into the story arc of the hero, stepping in whenever needed.
Acting as a sidekick can work long-term if Starbucks can repeat the subtle integration of product placement in future campaigns.
Also in the ready-to-drink category, Pure Leaf entered the functional beverage space with the launch of its Mental Focus Iced Tea range.
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