SBUX · News · 20260806N

South Korea Marketing Investigation

STARBUCKS CORP · 2026-08-06 · Importance 44 · Surprise 60

South Korean police raided Starbucks Korea’s headquarters in Seoul in an investigation into the “Tank Day” marketing campaign. The campaign promoted “SS Tank” tumblers around the May 18 Democratisation Movement Day and was criticized as mocking victims of the 1980 Gwangju uprising. Starbucks Korea canceled the campaign, apologized, dismissed its CEO, and instituted historical and social-sensitivity training; investigators are assessing whether the timing was intentional and whether criminal charges could follow.

Key facts

• The 'SS Tank' tumbler campaign used the slogan 'Thwack it on the table!' and was perceived as defaming 1980s' pro-democracy movements and the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol. source