Starbucks has made its first foray into football sponsorship, in a partnership with Toulouse FC.
This strategy is all about reinforcing Starbuck’s new(ish) positioning around connection.
When the new CEO joined two years ago, he found a brand that had lost its focus, wanting to stand for too many things. He quickly moved to simplify things around the idea of Starbucks being a place for great coffee, served with a moment of connection.
Partnerships in sport are a great way to bring that idea to life: few things connect with an audience in the way that sport does (especially football).
The challenge for Starbucks will be activating this in a way that adds value to the fans and feels authentic, especially for a US brand getting involved in football for the first time.
Starbucks is already a partner of the LA28 Olympics and Team USA, but I wonder if this Toulouse deal will be the first of more sponsorships in Europe?
