In an environment where digital habits are changing rapidly, Meta became a strategic partner for Starbucks to continue building genuine connections at scale and remain an authentic brand.
“The Mexican consumer looks for authentic brands, with a relevant presence and content that integrates naturally into their daily lives. For this reason, Meta became a strategic partner because its platforms are today the space where Starbucks continues to build community, discover shared interests and actively participate in cultural conversations,” explains Diego Recalde, Marketing Director of Starbucks, in an interview.
Personalization is essential at Starbucks. Thanks to data and segmentation models, it continually seeks to show different messages depending on the time of consumption, the occasion, the season or even flavor preferences. In that sense, Meta’s tools are quite relevant: they have gone beyond segmenting clusters or interests and have evolved with the use of artificial intelligence, optimizing the search for new people and reaching new users.
“We are in the business of people connecting over a cup of coffee. Genuine connections with our customers are the essence of our experience. We greatly value approaching our customers with human, timely messages aligned with their daily moments and Meta drives us in this vision,” he adds.
The new generations are migrating between social networks. And that is where Starbucks has planned to find them: from young consumers, digital explorers or profiles that are discovering Starbucks for the first time. With Meta tools they are able to build communication bridges with them.
Data-driven approach
Based on a model of continuous measurement and optimization, Starbucks Mexico has found in Meta a key strategic partner to make business decisions with greater precision and speed. The possibility of evaluating campaigns in real time—through Brand Lift studies, A/B testing, and performance analysis—has allowed the company not only to measure results, but also to understand how its innovations are perceived among consumers.
A recent example is the launch of a new beverage platform in short sizes and with a lower price range. Using Meta tools, Starbucks was able to identify whether the proposition was perceived as valuable, adjust messaging, and validate acceptance of the concept before scaling it. This data-driven approach has been particularly relevant in an environment where the consumer is increasingly price-sensitive, without giving up the brand experience.
Efficiency is also reflected in one of the company’s strategic pillars: the growth of Starbucks Rewards. Within its user acquisition plan, Meta has established itself as one of the platforms with the best performance in download costs, even below industry benchmarks. This result has strengthened the loyalty program as a central axis for building long-term relationships with customers.
In the field of campaigns, the most recent seasonal bet, Holiday “Every detail counts”, has shown positive signs in terms of reach and engagement. When it comes to video content with an emotional narrative, Starbucks observed greater efficiency in views, particularly in formats such as Reels on Instagram. The hero pieces — which portray moments of connection between families, friends and partners during the Christmas season — achieved high acceptance, allowing the brand to understand how these stories resonated with audiences.
Beyond awareness, Starbucks and Meta are exploring new solutions aimed at physical traffic to stores. One of them is “Drive to Store”, an initiative in the testing phase that seeks to make it easier for consumers to locate nearby stores, especially when they are in little-known areas or when traveling. The objective is to complement the digital proposal – such as pick-up or delivery – with experiences that connect the customer with the so-called “third space” of the brand, supported by geolocation and contextual ads.
For Starbucks, these innovations respond to everyday behavior: people who are on the street looking for options to have breakfast, lunch, work or simply connect. In this context, the data generated by Meta becomes a strategic enabler to understand what motivates each segment, how their preferences evolve and what content generates the greatest impact.
Together, this collaboration reinforces a clear vision: use technology and data not only to optimize campaigns, but to design experiences consistent with Starbucks’ purpose of being a space where customers feel connected, recognized and valued. An alliance that transcends marketing and is positioned as an engine of growth and relevance in the Mexican market.
