The Starbucks experience is all about enjoying your coffee in a relaxed environment, filled with calming natural tones and the gentle buzz of people connecting with each other or working diligently in their own space. Another central element of the Starbucks experience is that you’re not identified as “sir” or “mam”. You’re called by your name. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve picked a different name from time to time just for kicks. What’s been lost on me is that some people never really get to use the name that they feel really expresses who they are every single day. For me, and possibly you too, it’s amusing to switch names for the lifespan of your latte but this time, coffee retail giant, Starbucks, picked up on an overlooked sentiment held by people within the LGBTQ+ community and gave them the opportunity to change their lives once and for all by giving them the opportunity to change their name… and keep it!
Starbuck São Paulo launched culture-shifting creativity with their ‘I am’ campaign by VMLY&R Brazil. In this initiative, a Starbucks store was transformed into a registry office where trans people could legally change their names, free of charge. Not only did this change their lives, but it created a space where they would always feel welcome to visit.
See the case video: