Starbucks’ big marketing blunder in South Korea shows how cultural blind spots can put global brands in a bind

Translation is only part of the challenge for multinational companies. Words, slogans and symbols can take on entirely different meanings across cultures.

By: Karen Stollznow, University of Colorado Boulder; Griffith University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 23, 2026

Words: 1,075

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 6 days ago

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By Karen Stollznow, University of Colorado Boulder; Griffith University

When Starbucks Korea promoted its series of reusable tumblers called “tanks” with a “Tank Day” campaign on May 18, 2026, it probably seemed like a fun marketing idea.

Instead, it spiraled into a public relations crisis.

Executives failed to account for the fact that May 18 also coincides with the anniversary of the South Korean military’s deadly suppression of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a …

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