The Campaign

The Soul of China China’s scale is matched only by its sheer diversity: over 660 cities, 56 ethnic groups, 120 different languages and countless dialects. From one city to another, the differences can be striking. We wanted to create a set of cards that captured the stories of China’s proud cities; and created a sense of belonging for the people who live there. The twelve card designs together as a collection celebrate the proud symbols of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. The spirit of each city is expressed artistically through its “hero” – the laid back panda from Chengdu, the classy lady in a qipao dress from Shanghai, the magnificent opera singer from Beijing, the pure lotus blossom from Hangzhou ... and finally the fierce dragon, the ultimate icon that symbolises the entire nation. The artful interweaving of “heroes”, natural scenery and architecture brings these legends and stories to life.

Creative Execution

To tell the story behind each city, each card was illustrated to balance a sense of refined craftsmanship with authentic imperfection. Richly textured and beautifully rendered, each piece is an artwork in its own right. The colour scheme was carefully selected to align with the city it represented. In production, a tactile feeling and a sense of depth were created by printing on multiple layers. The embossing details along with delicate gold foil lines gave the cards an exquisite final touch. Inside the card-holder is a two-toned mural with all city heroes intertwining with each other. The design suggests the form of an ancient Chinese scroll, transcribing all the epic legends of our culture.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

My Starbucks Reward City Card Series 2016 was launched in February 2016 across 2,000 Starbucks stores nationwide in China. The daily unit sales per store on this series of design were 60% higher than the average for a Starbucks reward card. The full series collection was exclusively available on the Starbucks’ official online retail store – where they sold out within the first day of launch. Members saw the collectible value in the series as they initiated card swapping between cities in order to get hold of the complete collection. Buzz generated on social media has been spectacular: “I cannot resist – This city card (Tianjin) is a must buy! I have to say the craftsmanship is so delicate.” “I am totally addicted to Starbucks City Card Series.” “Spent my entire day swapping and collecting cards. And finally the complete Starbucks City Cards series is here!”

For Starbucks in China, art is an integral part of the brand, and one that differentiates it from its competitors. We fused the brand’s personality with the rich stories of China, skilfully weaving them together in a collectable set of artworks. By evoking the history, culture and stories of China, we hoped to enable Chinese customers to reconnect with their cultural heritage. In doing so, Starbucks was able to connect with its customers through a campaign that was thoughtful, emotional and intimate.