This holiday season, Starbucks is proving that festive marketing doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful.
As part of its global “Drawn Together” campaign, Starbucks has transformed everyday streets in London and Manchester into warm, glowing moments of connection. Instead of launching another high-energy holiday ad, the brand brought its familiar cup artwork into the real world—literally lighting it up.
The campaign takes Geoff McFetridge’s hand-drawn illustrations, originally seen on Starbucks’ seasonal cups, and expands them into large-scale out-of-home installations. Simple doodle-style characters stretch Christmas lights across building facades, wrapping them around a central Starbucks cup. Real, working fairy lights complete the scenes, blurring the line between illustration and reality.
The message is understated but clear:
“Together is the best place to be.”
Why this campaign works
What makes this campaign stand out is its restraint. In a season crowded with discounts, urgency, and noise, Starbucks chose to focus on something quieter—shared rituals. The visuals reference moments most people recognize instantly: untangling Christmas lights, decorating together, placing the final star on the tree.
There’s no hard sell. No pricing. No call-to-action shouting for attention. Instead, the brand reinforces what it has always positioned itself as—a third place, somewhere between home and work where people come together.
From cup to city
By lifting artwork off the cup and placing it into public spaces, Starbucks extends its branding without breaking its identity. The illustrations remain playful, imperfect, and human. The addition of physical lights adds warmth and tactility, making the installations feel less like advertising and more like part of the neighborhood.
It’s also highly shareable. These builds naturally invite photos, pauses, and moments of reflection—turning city streets into organic social content without forcing it.
A reminder of what festive marketing can be
At a time when holiday campaigns often chase virality or scale, Starbucks’ “Drawn Together” takes a different route. It focuses on emotion over excess, presence over performance, and memory over metrics.
In doing so, it reminds both consumers and marketers that the strongest seasonal campaigns don’t just decorate spaces—they reflect how people actually feel during the holidays.
Sometimes, the most effective message isn’t about coffee at all.
It’s about connection.
