Another great story about the impact of AI with no mention to it in the headline of the story:

In South Korea a Starbucks marketing campaign is created using AI and executives don't even bother to open the email attachments to check the proposals. The campaign was published on the date of a pro-democracy protesters massacre calling it Tank Day and using slogans clearly drawing from the deadly military attack, which felt deeply unrespectful to the victims. The AI most likely learned that from far-right forums like Ilbe where mocking the victims is common.

They cancelled the campaign hours after publishing it but it was too late, the CEO has been sacked, card payments went down a 26%, refunds haven been requested from prepaid cards, police is investigating and Starbucks asked costumers to refrain from directing their anger to staff.

#ai #aislop #starbucks

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

@jonuriarte

How about we distribute this throughout the world and make the coffee seller PAY! Fuck Them!

@oscarfalcon starbucks south korea is completely independent from the US corporation, its just a brand license. The article states this if you read it

@twipped @oscarfalcon

starbucks south korea is completely independent from the US corporation, its just a brand license.money still flows Stateswards and in Korea they have to brand themselves as if they are the US company so reputation also flows.

Offensive AI campaigns plus forcing female staff to write creative and personalised cup messages pending punishment for failure is now the global Starbucks brand image regardless of which franchise carried it out.