Mastodawn

"Marketers chose the slogan after consulting an AI tool, looking for suggestions... It turned out some managers who approved the campaign never opened the email attachments showing the marketing material." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/06/starbucks-south-korea-tank-day-promotion-blunder

How a Starbucks marketing stunt spiralled into mass boycotts in South Korea

A botched tumbler promotion on the anniversary of a pro-democracy massacre unleashed a boycott, police investigation and political firestorm

The Guardian

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Manni 1d ago

@brucelawson "tank coffee"? I would have thought that idea would be bad enough.

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Schroedingers_Cat

@confuseacat @brucelawson I mean, at a festival I go to there is a place called The Tank" which serves coffee - Tank Coffee. Has been for years, as it is just like a large tank to be in.

So it is not always a problem in the right context.

To launch now with this term, in a world that is so violent, is tasteless. Even I know this.

And then to not consider local impact and context - this feels very Starbucks. DGAF, jsut give us the money.