A Shot of Shame: Starbucks Korea's Tank Day Debacle The "Tank Day" campaign at Starbucks Korea was a tone deaf marketing disaster that unleashed a firestorm of outrage and boycotts.
The company's poorly thought out promotional campaign insulted the memories of those who lost loved ones in the 1980 Gwangju uprising, demonstrating a staggering lack of cultural awareness.
By using this sensitive anniversary as a marketing hook, Starbucks Korea not only offended its customers but also revealed a fundamental misunderstanding of its market.