Why Starbucks spells your name wrong

I have the most basic b*tch name in the world.

And yet, even Starbucks has spelt my name wrong more times than I can count.

Is it a prerequisite for Starbucks employees to be completely illiterate? Or is it the workings of a genius marketing ploy?

Wait a second… you mean to say the $89 billion company lied to us???? Shocker.

Not only do they know how to spell your name (it’s Sam, are you really surprised?), they’ve been employing you to do their marketing for FREE for years now.

Starbucks has been putting names on cups since 2012. And they’ve been strategically misspelling them this whole time.

Why? Because they know that we are putting that sh*t straight on social media.

While misspelt names aren’t exactly a positive brand interaction, they don’t turn people away from the brand, either.

In fact, seeing someone’s story of ‘QAYTE’ instead of ‘KATE’ is most likely going to evoke a little chuckle out of you. It will also plant the need for a venti white mocha (quad shot, 2 shots on bottom, two on top, almond milk, extra hot) into your subconscious mind. (Also yes, that’s a real order I found on Reddit. Pray for our baristas.)

So not only are these little 'mistakes' creating positive brand association, but they’re influencing our behaviour. Because what are you going to do now when you drive past that big green mermaid? You’re going to pull over.

The hashtag #starbucksnamefail has over 28,000 posts on Instagram, and 38 MILLION related posts on TikTok.

Now, I get that 28,000 isn’t huge. But if we assume all 28,000 of these people have 200 followers each, that’s 5.6 million people that saw the brand on Instagram alone. That’s not including the other hashtags used or posts with no hashtags at all.

And the coffee giant didn’t have to spend a cent doing it. Work smarter not harder, people.

However, Starbucks can’t claim this idea as their own.

Actually, intentional spelling mistakes have long been a ploy for brands to put a spotlight on their products and stand out in a crowded market.

When you first hear about this tactic, intentional spelling mistakes might seem counterintuitive. But, done correctly, this can be a powerful way to get attention.

By bending the rules of language, brands can make a clever and thought-provoking statement. It’s a rebellion against the conventional.

It’s also a sure-fire way to get exposure on social media. And it highly increases your chance of going viral.

So think about how to get your audience to create UGC.

Misspelling names may not fit your brand. But you could do this by using aesthetic packaging, unexpected in-store experiences, or surprising your audience in a way that compels them to share.

Much to thunk about, huh?

-Sophie, Writer