News Summary

  • Starbucks will pilot a custom creator network it co-created within TikTok's content suite to expand employee-driven marketing, according to information obtained by Marketing Dive. The news was announced jointly by Starbucks and TikTok this week at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
  • The creator network is based on Starbucks' "Green Apron Creators" program, which encourages employees to post social media content around the brand. The pilot will allow Starbucks to share briefs and compensate some creators in the program through ad revenue sharing.
  • The program is scheduled to launch in the summer, with expansion planned based on pilot learnings.

Deep Dive

Starbucks is further investing in employee-driven marketing through a new partnership with TikTok, becoming the first brand to pilot a custom creator network on the social media platform. According to data cited in the press materials, Starbucks employees post at three times the rate of employees at comparable-sized chains. The high level of social media activity from Starbucks employees provides the brand with an opportunity to leverage this content for paid advertising.

"Every day, our partners bring Starbucks to life through moments of connection with our customers and each other. Now, more than ever, they are sharing these moments online in authentic, creative, and unique ways," said Erin Silvoy, senior vice president of global marketing at Starbucks, in the press materials. "Our partnership with TikTok allows us to build a custom tool to celebrate and amplify our partners' authentic storytelling."

Employee-generated contentis becoming a popular tool for brands. Office supply retailer Staples has been supporting Kaeden Rowland, better known asStaples Baddie, who posts ASMR-style videos about her work. Rowland's TikTok account isOblivion, with nearly 600,000 followers on the platform.

These employee/content creators have become vehicles for product or service discovery, with 61% of Gen Z and 40% of the overall population saying they frequently learn about new products or services through employee-generated content,according to Sprout Social data. As employee creators become more common, brands may need to find ways to compensate these individuals, as 61% of consumers believe brands should compensate employees who promote the brand on social media.

TikTok positions creator networks as a way for brands to create customizable pools of creators made up of employees, partners, or brand advocates, designed to use user-generated content for paid advertising.

This news indicates that Starbucks is building on itsGreen Apron Creatorsprogram, which launched in 2024 to leverage its own employees to stay culturally relevant on social media. Gen Z makes up the majority of Starbucks baristas, and the program provides them with opportunities to develop their careers and online presence.

Starbucks' second-quarter revenue totaled $9.5 billion, up 9% year over year,according to the earnings call transcript. Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol noted during the call with investors that strong marketing efforts were one reason its rewards program membership reached 35.6 million.