Starbucks' Tank Day fiasco in South Korea deserves a place in future editions of the best branding books as an example of what can happen when a huge global brand acts in blissful unawareness of cultural and political context. It's been devastating for the coffee chain's reputation in its third biggest market by store count, and it's unlikely to be forgiven soon.
As the dust settles, along with the fragments of smashed Starbucks cups and tumblers, apologies have been reiterated and a potential scapegoat has emerged. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that you shouldn't rely on an AI to write your marketing slogans, but Starbucks' Tank Day disaster can't be blamed entirely on a chatbot.
