TBWA\Lintas Bags Starbucks India’s Integrated Creative Mandate After Multi-Agency Pitch
CE DESK 
TBWA\Lintas bags creative mandate for Starbucks India after a multi-agency pitch. The Omnicom Advertising India agency has been appointed as Starbucks India’s creative agency of record and will lead the coffee brand’s integrated creative and digital communications.
The mandate covers mainline brand campaigns, social media strategy, digital activations and consumer participation initiatives. TBWA\Lintas will create a media-agnostic approach that connects Starbucks with consumers across advertising, digital platforms and in-store experiences.
Starbucks India wants to deepen its cultural relevance as coffee consumption expands beyond metros into tier 2 and tier 3 cities. India’s cafe market is projected to reach USD 1.1 billion by 2034, creating both opportunities and competition for coffee brands.
Mitali Maheshwari, Head of Product and Marketing, Tata Starbucks, said the company sees an opportunity to deepen its consumer connection through locally relevant, digital and experiential storytelling as its customer base grows, the partnership aims to bring fresh creative ideas to young consumers, coffee enthusiasts and those discovering coffee for the first time.
Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Experience Officer, TBWA\Lintas, said the agency plans to develop campaigns that encourage consumer participation and extend the brand’s presence beyond its products. The focus would be on creating ideas that spark conversations and make Starbucks a more vibrant part of contemporary Indian culture.
The agency’s brief is to make Starbucks more participative and culturally connected. Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Experience Officer at TBWA\Lintas, said the brand should create ideas that go beyond the cup, spark conversations and invite consumers to take part.
TBWA\Lintas will aim to build fresh reasons for young consumers, coffee lovers and first-time coffee drinkers to choose Starbucks. The work will focus on strengthening brand affinity, driving engagement and making Starbucks a more visible part of everyday Indian culture.
The appointment consolidates Starbucks India’s creative and digital communication under one agency. It also gives TBWA\Lintas responsibility for shaping campaigns that can work across social media, digital platforms, retail environments and consumer experiences.
With India’s coffee market growing rapidly, the partnership will test how Starbucks can balance its global brand identity with local relevance. TBWA\Lintas is expected to develop campaigns that combine storytelling, participation and digital-first engagement to support Starbucks’ next phase of growth in India.
