Starbucks Launches ‘Magic of Coffee’ Ad With ‘Chef’s Table’ Director David Gelb

Starbucks has released a new ad built around the craft and origin of its espresso.

The 30-second spot, titled "The Magic of Coffee," was produced by Starbucks and production company IndependentMedia.

The film was also directed by David Gelb, the filmmaker behind the Netflix documentary series "Chef's Table."

It debuted on television on March 6 and expanded across digital and social platforms on March 10.

The spot traces coffee cherries being handpicked, washed, and sorted before following baristas grinding, tamping, and pulling espresso shots.

The campaign also launched alongside Starbucks' new spring menu, which introduced the Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato, Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew, and the return of lavender drinks.

Bringing in a filmmaker with Gelb's credentials is a signal about where Starbucks wants to position itself.

And the craft-first approach gives the brand a clear, consistent story to carry across the spring season.

Gelb Approaches Espresso as Documentary Subject

Gelb is best known for bringing the same close-focus attention to professional kitchens that this ad applies to the espresso bar.

Starbucks brought in a filmmaker whose whole body of work is built on treating craft as worthy of serious screen time.

Erin Silvoy, SVP of Global Marketing and Channel Development at Starbucks, said the collab was designed to reflect Gelb's brand storytelling while reinforcing its focus on quality and connection.

The director described the brief in similar terms:

"Coffee might be the most universal human ritual there is," Gelb said in a statement.

"When Starbucks came to me and my producer, Susanne Preissler, we knew I didn't want to make an advertisement. We wanted to make a tribute."

The campaign is an intentional move toward specialty coffee territory, where origin stories and production detail garner much attention from consumers.

Soundtrack, Spring Menu, and the Full Rollout

The film opens with a handwritten note on a Starbucks cup before the camera pulls back through farming scenes, roasting, and finally the espresso bar.

The soundtrack is "Tokyo Rain" by Loaded Honey, described by Starbucks as a barista favorite from its coffeehouse playlists.

It keeps the ad grounded in the brand's existing in-store culture, while the spring menu gives the campaign a practical commercial anchor.

Customers who see the ad can easily taste the magic for themselves, with new drinks now available in stores.

It also helps that Starbucks is not a small brand taking a creative gamble.

The company has both the reach and revenue to put a campaign like this in front of a massive audience.

The campaign offers a few insights for brands considering a documentary-style creative:

• Director credibility transfers to the brand: Gelb's association with "Chef's Table" carries its own cultural weight, which Starbucks benefits from with no explanation.
• Process-led storytelling builds perceived quality: Showing the journey from farm to cup gives consumers a framework for understanding why a product costs so much.
• Soundtrack choices signal audience: Using a track from its own playlists rewards existing customers while staying authentic to the brand's in-store identity.

Campaigns built around craft carry a story that holds up across seasons, because the underlying message stays consistent even as the menu evolves.

Our Take: Does the Craft Angle Hold Up at Scale?

The Gelb partnership is a credible creative decision, and the film delivers on what it promises.

We think the stronger element is what the campaign implies about Starbucks' current brand positioning.

The brand has faced real pressure from specialty coffee and value-focused competitors, and this ad plants a flag firmly in the quality corner.

The spring menu tie-in is also good timing, as customers have a reason to engage with the craft story and act on it in the same visit.

We'd be curious to see how the campaign performs outside major urban markets, where the documentary-style register may land differently with a broader consumer base.

Starbucks also recently redesigned its loyalty program with a three-tier structure for its 35.5 million active U.S. members, launching Green, Gold, and Reserve levels.

Brands building campaigns around craft and quality need creative partners who understand how to translate production values into consumer trust.

Explore the top video production agencies in our directory.