Category: Marketing

In this article, I analyze the operational drivers behind the decline (mobile ordering, in-store congestion, excessive standardization) and the recovery levers of the “Back to Starbucks” program.

Retrospective on Back to Starbucks

As discussed in the previous article, Starbucks experienced remarkable success thanks to its strong experiential marketing, offering consumers a genuine experience. Through excellent customer service, impeccable product quality, and its human-centered approach, Starbucks was able to grow exponentially on an international scale, reaching 38,000 stores worldwide in 2024 (Arcega-Punzalan, 2025).

Things began to deteriorate in the early 2020s (Us, 2024). Coffee prices increased, mobile orders stagnated, and wait times grew longer (The Wall Street Journal, 2025). Starbucks gradually lost its authenticity, and the in-store experience no longer carried the charm it once had.

One of the causes behind this decline was the inefficiency of mobile ordering. Preparation times were inaccurate, and the influx of digital orders led to in-store congestion.

Today, the coffee market is far more democratized. Starbucks is no longer the only premium coffee option, and it has become easy to find better alternatives just around the corner (J. M. W. Us, 2025). In an effort to address the issues that have damaged the brand’s reputation, Starbucks launched its “Back to Starbucks” program, aimed at reworking the operational model of its franchises (The Wall Street Journal, 2025). Among the initiatives designed to restore the brand’s iconic atmosphere, Starbucks plans to bring back handwritten names on cups.

In the same spirit, the company aims to restore a sense of conviviality in stores by reintroducing chairs, tables, and couches, as well as simplifying its menus. The famous condiment bars—designed to reduce part of the baristas’ workload while giving customers a sense of control—are also expected to return. These initiatives would allow baristas to reconnect with customers and help restore the feeling of a “third place”—the space between home and work (J. M. W. Us, 2025).

Utilisation de l’IA

In September 2025, Bean (2025) reported on Starbucks’ initiatives to further integrate artificial intelligence into its operations. AI would be used to improve access to and quality of data, while also acting as a driver of performance and innovation. The goal would be to anticipate needs, simplify work, and personalize the customer experience. One example would be the use of predictive models in inventory management and workforce planning. On the customer experience side, consumers would receive suggestions more closely aligned with their preferences.

List of Starbucks’ uses of AI (Bean, 2025):

• Staffing models that support the Green Apron Service by ensuring the right partners are in the right place at the right time.
• Channel prioritization algorithms that optimize service time and customer experience.
• Smarter food availability forecasting models to improve inventory accuracy for customers and partners.
• Targeted marketing campaigns leveraging machine learning and recommendation algorithms to personalize digital ordering experiences, enabling personalization and emotional connection.
• Algorithmic models and external data partnerships to optimize pricing strategies.
• Voice of Customer and Partner listening tools that help Starbucks better understand and respond to feedback and sentiment.
• Enhanced analytics for store development and operations, enabling better tracking, analysis, and action on how Starbucks shows up in local communities, including advanced test-and-learn analytics to uncover key performance drivers.
• Enterprise data readiness for generative and agentic AI, ensuring Starbucks’ infrastructure can securely, scalably, and effectively support next-generation capabilities.

Starbucks’ intention in implementing AI would be to reduce wait times, optimize human and material resources where they are most needed, and personalize its approach toward consumers. This initiative could clearly support the “Back to Starbucks” reconstruction plan—but what about the human element?

Human

Layoffs

Starbucks’ actions clearly reflect its turbulent situation, caught between operational reality and strategic vision. The company maintains plans to continue expanding by adding 17,000 new locations by 2030 while cutting costs by $3 billion (Lucas, 2023). For 2026 alone, Starbucks plans to add 1,000 new locations (Brown, 2025).

Employee Criticism

The principles of employee engagement outlined in the Green Apron Book are built on a fundamental idea: employees must feel respected and valued. Compensation naturally plays a major role, as in 2025 Starbucks employees were still gathering to negotiate contracts that better respect their working conditions (Bloomberg, 2025). It becomes difficult to avoid a “bare minimum” philosophy when employees do not feel respected—precisely the opposite of what the company expects from them. Paradoxically, Starbucks eliminated nearly 2,000 jobs in 2025, a move that reflects a fragile financial health (Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, 2025).

Conclusion

Since the appointment of the new CEO, Brian Niccol, in September 2024, Starbucks’ stock price still does not signal strong financial health at the time of writing (January 2026). In terms of strategy, some indicators nevertheless appear to be improving. Beverage preparation time is now under four minutes for 80% of orders, and menus have been reduced by 25% (Brown, 2025). However, the time spent in stores has dropped from ten minutes per customer to one-third of that—approximately three minutes (Brown, 2025). The wave of layoffs therefore “makes sense” to some extent, given the company’s difficulty in entering a growth phase. Despite these challenges, Starbucks appears to remain aligned with and committed to its “Back to Starbucks” strategy. The remaining question is whether its implementation will truly resonate with consumers.

Between 1987 and 2000, Starbucks grew from 17 to 3,501 stores, driven by a standardized, large-scale customer experience strategy.
In this article, I break down the five operational levers (service, personalization, internal culture, retail design, and surprise) that created this competitive advantage.

The Starbucks Revolution

Before Starbucks arrived, people stopped at the local diner for a 50-cent cup of coffee—equivalent to $4.29 USD today (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d.)—with unlimited refills. The taste was bland, and so was the customer experience. In 1982, Howard Schultz asked himself: “What would happen if you took the quality coffee bean tradition of Starbucks and merged it with the charm and romance of the European coffeehouse?” (Michelli, J., 2006).

This vision was extremely ambitious.

How could consumers be convinced to change their routine and pay significantly more for a “rich” and “exotic” experience when all they had ever known was the “ordinary”?

Why Starbucks Succeed

In its desire to reinvent what a coffee experience could be, Starbucks succeeded by redefining what coffee consumption could represent. By focusing on high-quality beverages and an exceptional customer experience for the time, Starbucks aimed to become a place where people could enjoy their coffee alone or with friends. Consumers were encouraged to create their own personalized beverage experience, giving rise to the now-famous question: “What’s your Starbucks order?” Employees were known for remembering customers by name and by their preferences. They enjoyed working there, and it showed.

Fun fact: Starbucks coined now-widely used terms such as “barista,” “chai,” “venti,” and “Frappuccino® blended beverage.”

Five Principles That Defined Success

The true reason behind the company’s exponential growth is rooted in five core principles.

Principle 1 — Personalization: “Make it Your Own”

To deliver exemplary relationship marketing, Starbucks created the Green Apron Book, a guide offering ideas to staff aimed at elevating customer relationships. Rather than listing rigid rules, the book presented guiding principles, allowing room for creativity and avoiding a controlling management style. In other words, the company applied its marketing internally, toward its employees. The Green Apron Book was built around five major themes.

Point #1: Be Welcoming — Focus on Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

Starbucks management defined this principle as fostering a sense of belonging. Employees were expected to use their talents and knowledge to make customers feel valued. What began as an initiative by an employee who wanted to provide exceptional service—keeping track of customers’ names and drinks in an Excel file—was later adopted by management and integrated into the welcoming philosophy.

” Paul Ark in Bangkok provides a perfect example of how a Starbucks partner made him feel truly important. A self-proclaimed “sucker” for Frappuccino® blended beverage with raspberry syrup, Paul hadn’t been to the Chidlom Starbucks in almost two months, but as he was standing behind two other customers in line to order, one of the baristas looked over and said, “Grande Vanilla Crème Frappuccino® with raspberry syrup, right? ”
Michelli, J (2006)

Point #2: Be Genuine — Loyalty Above All

Its importance lies in its simplicity. Being genuine is defined by: “connect, discover, and respond.” These three elements ensure relationship quality at the employee level. Ultimately, customers are not seeking friendship—only to be treated as more than a wallet.

“ It was Saturday, and this poor woman who was just an emotional wreck came through. It was her first visit. Our menu can be a little intimidating, so she stared and then ordered just a plain coffee. When we asked her if she was sure she didn’t want to try something else, she explained that she was confused and overwhelmed, and she looked like she was about to cry. In the meantime, we had someone make a Toffee Nut Latte, because who doesn’t like that? We said, forget the plain coffee; we made you this Toffee Nut Latte—on the house today for you to try. She was thrilled! She drove off, and we didn’t think much of it other than that we were happy to have made her happy. » […] « A couple of days later, we got flowers sent to our store thanking us for ’saving her life.’ Her letter explained that she had been having a really, really bad day. After she had visited our store, she had a piece of joy in her and was able to take care of her problems and even help someone else to feel better. She is now one of our regulars. “
Michelli, J (2006)

Point #3: Be Considerate — Consider Your Environment

This principle emphasizes consideration for everyone involved—customers, prospects, colleagues, managers—with a long-term relationship mindset. This philosophy also extends to environmental initiatives, reflecting an attachment to sustainability and planetary well-being.

Point #4: Be Knowledgeable — Passion at the Core of Everything

This principle can be summarized as: “love what they do and share it with others.” Employees were trained to develop deep coffee knowledge in order to educate consumers. Starbucks believed that informed customers develop stronger emotional attachment to the product. Employees could complete a three-month training program to become a Coffee Master, earning a black apron and recognition as coffee experts.

Starbucks justified this investment with the belief that “Knowledge is power”—each employee’s expertise could positively influence a customer’s day.

Point #5: Be Involved — Get Involved Beyond the Job

For Starbucks, involvement meant active participation in the store, the company, and the community. Managers encouraged employees to go beyond their day-to-day responsibilities and bring passion into their work. Starbucks rejected a “bare minimum” mindset, encouraging contributions to store problem-solving, new flavor ideas, and community engagement. This included offering café space for gatherings, supporting local events, and participating in volunteer initiatives.

Principle 2 — A Culture of Detail: “Retail is Detail”

Howard Schultz is known for saying, “Retail is detail.” In any organization, poorly executed details quickly lead to customer frustration. Starbucks recognized that coffee itself was only part of the experience. The environment, customer service, and culture all defined the Starbucks experience—and that is why people went there.

” The Starbucks sensation is driven not just by the quality of its products but by the entire atmosphere surrounding the purchase of coffee: the openness of its store space, interesting menu boards, the shape of its counter, the cleanliness of the floorboards. What Starbucks recognized long before its imitators was that the art of retailing coffee went way beyond product. The details of the total experience mattered. Every particular—from napkins to coffee bags, storefronts to window seats, annual reports to mail order catalogs, tabletops to thermal carafes—seems to reflect the authentic and organic roots of Starbucks. “
Michelli, J. (2006)

Music evolved from background noise into a carefully curated experience adapted to time of day and musical tone, transforming Starbucks into “a bigger stop.”

This desire for a welcoming atmosphere extended to décor and merchandising, which were designed to integrate harmoniously into the environment before serving commercial functions. Management ensured consistency across all franchises. From packaging and bean freshness to sourcing transparency, Starbucks gave its product multidimensional meaning.

The company also developed an internal platform allowing employees to share service success stories, reinforcing Green Apron Book principles.

Starbucks was among the first companies to introduce environmental initiatives on its cups, guided by the belief that:
“The Starbucks brand, and every company’s brand, is nothing more than the sum total of the individual actions its people take.” (Michelli, J., 2006)

Principle 3 – Surprise and Delight

Consumers want predictability and consistency—yet just enough surprise to avoid boredom. That “extra” creates memorable experiences.

” As he writes on his “Marketing and Entrepreneurship” blog, at 5 a.m. Michael decided that it was time to get out of his house and take a break. His first thought was to reward himself with a predictable favorite, a vanilla latte. He hopped in his car and drove to his local Starbucks, anticipating his treat the whole way. “As I pulled up to the store,” he explains, “I knew something was terribly wrong; the sign was still dark, and the lights were off inside. I stopped the car and went up to the door to look at the hours. It was an hour before they opened, so I turned around to walk back to my car and figured the coffee would have to wait. . . . And then the lock was thrown, the door flew open, and one of my regular baristas stepped out and asked me whether I wanted something to drink. As Michael says : Starbucks ’gets it.’ “
Michelli, J (2006)

Extraordinary experiences are even more impactful when companies step outside the expected. In unexpected situations, organizations often compensate by delivering exceptional service.

This principle was embedded in Starbucks’ daily operations—from sampling new beverages to celebrating special occasions. Surprise and delight also shaped customer interactions through warm, sincere, or unconventional service designed to break routine consumption and add a “wow” factor.

” A regular customer at Starbucks, she remembers stopping by her local store on one particularly rough day to order a grande sugar-free caramel Macchiato. When she realized she didn’t have her wallet, the barista said, “It’s okay, you look like you really need it. Pay next time.” The result, says Laura, is that “the worst days of my life are so easily turned around the second I step into Starbucks. “
Michelli, J (2006)

The quality and consistency of customer service transformed Starbucks into a space for conversation and connection, embedding it into customers daily lives.

Principle 4 – Embrace resistance

This principle is based on environmental awareness and the ability to listen and adapt to criticism and cultural differences.

It is essential to distinguish between customers who want resolution and those who complain without seeking it.

Starbucks, known for strong service, once faced criticism from a reviewer. Rather than reacting defensively, a manager reached out to thank the critic. The company admitted fault, apologized, and later transformed the situation into a training case study.

This approach significantly increased the likelihood of rebuilding customer loyalty.

This listening culture also empowered employees.

” There is power in sharing the specific customer experiences with the folks down the line because of the learning that takes place. In the case of this article or any customer letter, the verbatim conversation, the voice of the customer that comes through is so much more powerful than any report that says that 42.5 percent of our customers are highly satisfied. “
Michelli, J (2006)

Listening also proved critical during international expansion. Coffee culture varies widely across countries, requiring product, service, and educational adaptation to local communities.

5. Leave Your Mark

Starbucks’ culture emphasized investment in employee well-being and community impact. Innovation, sustainability, sharing, and listening were prioritized over pure profit.

This philosophy applied at all levels—from managers to baristas. Starbucks understood that exceptional customer service required meaningful investment in employee well-being.

Michelli (2006) reports research showing that:

• People prefer to work for socially responsible companies.
• Top talent increasingly considers ethics and community engagement when choosing employers.
• Employee morale is three times higher in community-engaged companies.
• Alignment between personal values and workplace culture boosts productivity.
• Environmentally conscious companies are valued up to 5% higher.
• Community involvement strengthens teamwork, leadership skills, and corporate identity.

Starbucks formalized this mindset through the triple bottom line approach, measuring fiscal, social, and environmental performance. Examples include healthcare benefits for employees working over 20 hours per week and preferential treatment for ethically compliant coffee suppliers.

Ultimately, Starbucks sought to influence more than consumers—assigning equal importance to the coffee cup and everything surrounding it.

Key takeaway: Starbucks won because it industrialized a simple promise—a premium coffee and a premium experience—through personalization, internal culture, obsession with detail, controlled surprise, and perceived responsibility.

Note: These insights are drawn from The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary (Michelli, 2006). They reflect the company’s philosophy as of 2006 and acknowledge that Starbucks’ current situation differs today.

Introduction

OpenAI has been refining its brand image, its tools, and its user experience over time, and this is far from insignificant. Here is an overview of its new rebranding, which is much more impactful than it may seem.

This rebranding is a way of signaling that OpenAI continues to evolve continuously, but without risking frightening everyone. When you think about it, ChatGPT represents the new revolution of recent years, having reached the largest number of users in the shortest period of time.

From 0 to 100 million in 2 months.

ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just two months after its launch. This record-breaking growth made it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. By comparison, TikTok took nine months to reach the same level of adoption.

Krystal Hu, 2023. ChatGPT sets record for fastest-growing user base – analyst note. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt-sets-record-fastest-growing-user-base-analyst-note-2023-02-01/

Evolution of ChatGPT

With all the challenges and questions raised by generative AI, it is important not to introduce changes that are too drastic to something people already criticize heavily. For those who have adopted ChatGPT since its launch in November 2022, one can observe a gradual evolution of the interface over time.

However, this rebranding is far more subtle than a simple UI/UX evolution across the years.

In this article:

• The point at the center of everything
• Details as a vector of trust
• Humanizing the brand
• The OpenAI universe

What the rebranding consists of

One would need to be a keen observer to notice the real differences of this new rebranding in the everyday use of ChatGPT. So why go to all this trouble?
Although the changes may seem trivial, they actually correspond to a much more advanced strategy than merely rounding a few corners.

The point at the center of everything

OpenAI is very clear about its positioning: it stands as a defining force of a new historical era. Naturally, this must be communicated through its brand image. Not a single day goes by without seeing content about AI on social media.
AI is at the center of attention.

Although it may seem disconcerting that a simple dot serves as the brand’s “mascot,” the relevance of this choice cannot be denied. First, the dot evokes the mathematical aspect that underpins AI. For those who may not know, AI is essentially a collection of statistics and probabilities that predicts the most likely outcomes. You cannot draw a circle without mathematical formulas—and the same applies to AI.

In other words, the circle is the center of data (a data point) representing the source of everything. In its video, OpenAI further characterizes the point as singular (singularity), precise (precision), spacious (space), imperfect (imperfection), and vivid. Let us analyze this.

Simplicity & Space

This is where the strategy behind the point truly makes sense.
The simplicity and precision embodied by the point are meant to reflect what ChatGPT (generative AI) does best: provide simple or highly technical answers depending on our needs. The sense of space checks all the boxes of a modern, clean design within OpenAI’s brand guidelines.

One of OpenAI’s strongest moves was to incorporate imperfection into a perfectly symmetrical point. Why disrupt the mathematical balance represented by the point with an element of imperfection? In my view, this is a way of protecting against the lack of critical perspective that some people have toward AI-generated responses. AI is imperfect and can make mistakes.

Ultimately, the vivid aspect of the point is extremely interesting, as it addresses a major challenge faced by AI: its lack of humanity. The vivid quality adds dynamism—a more inconsistent, more unpredictable “flow” that we generally associate with humans. This is how emotion is introduced into the brand’s tone, a topic I will address further below.

Building a universe

You may find my analysis overly elaborate for a simple circle, but I remain convinced that this rebranding represents an important shift for OpenAI in the construction of its empire. One must consider the following: the arrival of ChatGPT in 2022 triggered a global frenzy around AI. Suddenly, everyone could see up close what a true intelligent assistant could do and the possibilities it opened up. What matters most is that OpenAI disrupted the market.

OpenAI is the new disruptive force, the new revolution. Therefore, the world must be reassured amid all the concerns surrounding AI. This new brand identity partly serves that purpose.

New logo

To begin with, ChatGPT now features a new logo.

Different, isn’t it? Seriously—yes, and in two ways. First, the borders are now all equal. This may seem like a purely “design” detail, but it ensures consistency and better readability across all screen sizes. The second point is the most important: all the corners are more rounded. This aligns with the new in-house typeface created by OpenAI: OpenAI Sans.

Changing public opinion – Uber

Uber undertook a major rebranding to repair an image tarnished by controversies and a corporate culture perceived as toxic. The old logo, seen as aggressive and elitist, reinforced this negative perception. To change public opinion, Uber adopted a new, more accessible and friendly visual identity with a simplified logo. The goal was for its branding to be instantly recognizable everywhere in the world, regardless of country. As former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said: “A brand is a living document of not only what your company represents; it also acts as a vital connection between your customers and your business.”

Bowman, A. (2023, 19 septembre). Uber& # 8217 ; s Powerful Rebrand and What Your Business Can Learn From It. Crowdspring Blog.

New typeface

The new OpenAI Sans typeface is characterized by changes that all relate back to the “point” discussed earlier.

The presentation of this typography focuses on the rounding of letters. Everything is rounder and more curved; there are no irregularities. Everything flows. This reinforces the simplicity, elegance, and minimalism that OpenAI wants to convey.

Why create an in-house typeface?

Designing a proprietary typeface allows OpenAI to control, down to the smallest detail, how its tools (ChatGPT, Sora, etc.) appear visually in their interfaces. It may sound extreme to focus on typography alone, but when OpenAI is arguably a company that has marked history for generations to come, every detail synonymous with quality matters. All of this serves a single purpose: strengthening consumer trust in this disruptive tool.

OpenAI’s goal is to immerse us in a universe—its universe. Apple is one of the best examples of this strategy: it is known for its extremely well-designed, interconnected ecosystem and is sometimes accused of “locking” users into its bubble. Apple has its own typeface, SF Pro. OpenAI has now done the same.

Everything is in the details.

We may not realize it, but even the smallest flaw can undermine consumer trust in a product. And for a tool at the forefront of a technological revolution, OpenAI is doing everything it can to remain the leader.

A matter of cost

OpenAI also benefits financially from this new typeface by saving on licensing costs. Rather than paying to use a third-party font, they created their own, allowing them to fully own it. This is a common practice: many companies have made the same choice to avoid the heavy expenses associated with fonts like Helvetica. Apple, for instance, developed its own typeface, San Francisco, now ubiquitous across its software. In the 1990s, Microsoft had to pay several million dollars to use Helvetica Neue, which pushed it to create Verdana, Segoe, and Tahoma internally for its interfaces. Disney and Netflix have also followed this trend, opting for in-house fonts that reinforce brand identity while reducing costs.

Humanizing the brand

One of the most striking aspects of this rebranding appears at 1:17 in the video.

While the mathematical, calculated, and precise nature of the point is emphasized throughout the video, OpenAI plays a wildcard at the end: emotion. Knowing that AI is fundamentally an advanced mathematical model that simply follows instructions, it is difficult to imagine an emotional dimension.

« Rather than a simple motion file, the Emotive Point is coded, so the patterns and movement can respond to your inputs. Capable of being deployed across OpenAI’s products at a variety of scales, this pulsing crystal ball-like device is a visual representation of ChatGPT’s ‘voice’.
Later, the designers elucidate on this often-fraught relationship. ‘We collaborate with leading experts in photography, typography, motion, and spatial design while integrating AI tools like DALL·E, ChatGPT, and Sora as thought partners,’ they add in an email, ‘This dual approach – where human intuition meets AI’s generative potential – allows us to craft a brand that is not just innovative, but profoundly human. » (Wallpaper, 2025)

This is where the depth of the rebranding becomes apparent. The moment emotion is introduced, all the mathematical or structural elements observed until then are set aside.

Images of nature seep into our minds, challenging the cold, insensitive vision we often have of AI. Nature highlights feeling—something AI inherently lacks. Projecting such “emotive” images can be seen as a form of emotional washing. Setting criticism aside, OpenAI clearly asserts that its products will not merely execute commands, but will increasingly be able to “think emotionally” in their outputs (AI responses).

Note: To reinforce this message, the final image clearly highlights OpenAI’s ultimate goal: building AGI—an AI more intelligent than humans.

Super Bowl

During the 2025 Super Bowl, OpenAI executed its “circle” concept perfectly. Their rebranding strategy centers on the point from start to finish—and that is exactly what they did in this advertisement, quite literally. Made entirely of points, it depicts the evolution of humanity and the major revolutions in our history: cognitive, agricultural, social, scientific, and technological. AI now positions itself as a defining technological evolution in human history. Whether one supports AI or not, it is hard to deny that the ad is extremely well executed.

Conclusion

OpenAI managed to surprise with such a simple logo, yet it has built a very strong storytelling around it. Much like the yin and yang, on one side we have purity, simplicity, and mathematics—perfectly aligned with the technical nature of AI. On the other, an almost unexpected emotional layer that shows how much OpenAI wants to anchor itself in something deeper than a mere tool.

Disclaimer: This article reflects only my personal opinion, based on my analysis, observations, and various sources consulted. It does not claim to offer an absolute truth, but rather a critical reflection on the subject.