Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 7
Starbucks Unveils Pink Drink Merch Collection, Launching July 7 for 2016 Viral Hit
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 7

Starbucks Unveils Pink Drink Merch Collection, Launching July 7 for 2016 Viral Hit

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 7

Summary

  • July 7 marks the debut of Starbucks’ Pink Drink-inspired merchandise line at select stores and online for Starbucks Rewards members, with drinkware and accessories built around the beverage’s signature pink branding.
  • The collection honors the Pink Drink, a strawberry-acai and coconut milk beverage that took off on social media in 2016 under #pinkdrink and became a permanent menu item in 2017.
  • A pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup gets separate rollout dates: Starbucks Rewards Reserve members can buy it online starting July 9, and select U.S. stores get it July 13.
  • Two-item purchase limits apply to the Bearista cup in stores and on the Starbucks Shop, underscoring Starbucks’ push to turn one of its earliest viral drinks into collectible merchandise.

Insights

As Starbucks sells apparel and toys, is it diluting its core identity as a coffee brand?
How does Starbucks transform a simple beverage into a viral, sell-out merchandise empire?