Starbucks Iced Coffee Goes Underground for Spring OOH Campaign

Starbucks UK is shaking up Spring with their Iced Shaken Espresso coffee range in the UK this Spring, and to celebrate, the world’s leading coffeeshop is immersing coffee drinkers in a full sensory OOH experience, ‘Iced Coffee Zone’, in Kings Cross St Pancras Station this April.

Running for two weeks until 23rd April 2023, the full tunnel take-over in Kings Cross St Pancras between the underground and the international station aims to bring to life the delicious aromas and sounds of the Starbucks Barista crafted Iced Coffee experience. Commuters will encounter posters and digital screens, while hearing and feeling a full sensory experience via sound effects of ice shaking and scent dispensers as they pass through the tunnel.

The special build has been designed by Havas Media UK in partnership with Talon, JCDecaux and Linney, and is expected to reach 1.3m people during the fortnight it is live, directly supporting 20 nearby Starbucks stores across central London. The campaign will also be supported by radio and social, including TikTok.

The ‘Iced Coffee Zone’ is part of Starbucks spring campaign that heroes its coffee flavour innovation and aims to reinforce Starbucks UK leadership in the iced coffee category ahead of the summer months. With two-fifths (39%) of Starbucks beverage sales being iced and having experienced two thirds growth in 2022 alone, Starbucks is now a leader in the iced drinks category.

Sarah Harris, marketing director EMEA, Starbucks, said, “Who doesn’t love an iced coffee? People say it’s the future, but for us, it’s the present – even during Winter when sales remain high. As we move into the warmer months, we want to remind our brilliant customers that wherever they are, there’s always a Starbucks Iced Coffee available to them. Better yet, you can now have it in an array of different flavours.”

Andrew Darby, managing partner, Havas Media UK, said, “I’m based out of HKX in St Pancras, it’s a genuinely terrific place to eat, work and play. Every day I pass through this tunnel and pick up my Starbucks on my way to the office. The strategically selected site is not only a gateway to central London as proven by Oyster card data, but also to the country and world with its domestic and international train terminals.”

Nicci Loudon, business director, Talon Outdoor, said, “Immersive brand experiences are becoming increasingly important to connect with audiences and create valuable emotional reactions, helping our advertising work harder. OOH provides the perfect platform to provide a more powerful, multi-sensory experience by adding sound and scent to enhance an already visually impactful execution creating a fully immersive experience for a new Starbucks favourite.”