Iris was appointed Starbucks’ Lead Strategic & Creative Agency across EMEA in 2017. We’ve been taking Starbucks on a transformation by shifting the brand’s focus beyond the products sold, to the impact Starbucks can have on people’s lives as a positive symbol of progress.

This year’s Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award challenged the lack of representation and stereotyping of the LGBT+ community in advertising.

Based on the insight that only 0.3% of TV adverts feature a transgender person, despite the community making up an estimated 1% of the population, we saw an opportunity for Starbucks to re-ignite itself as a progressive brand, and build on its strong heritage with the LGBT+ community.

Together, we created #whatsyourname. The ad won the Channel 4 award and the prize of £1m of free media spend.

#whatsyourname focuses on the importance of identity and acceptance. It takes Starbucks’ signature act of writing people’s names on cups and brings that to life in a powerful way.

A 60" TV ad depicts the challenges of James who is transitioning and does not identify with his birth-name, Jemma. The ad culminates with him trying out his chosen name for the first time at a Starbucks store.

In partnership with trans-support charity Mermaids, the wider campaign will raise £100K+ to fund their helpline and also includes VOD, OOH, social and instore activity that gives four trans individuals a platform to tell their real stories.