Listen in, Stay awhile

Client: Starbucks

Starbucks faced declining brand consideration and word-of-mouth, particularly among younger audiences who lacked the emotional connection of early adopters. The brand sought to re-establish itself as a "third space" – a place for genuine connection and relaxation, moving beyond its perception as a convenient commodity.

Havas Media UK devised the "Listen in, Stay Awhile" campaign, opting for audio, specifically podcasts, to leverage intimacy, attention, and trust, rather than a traditional broadcast approach. The core idea was to tell Starbucks' story as a third space through a medium that inherently felt like one, encouraging audiences to slow down and connect. They partnered with Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo's "Newly Parents" podcast, which already resonated with its audience as a "third space." The campaign involved the hosts discussing their coffee experiences at Starbucks and inviting listeners to submit voice notes about their own coffee moments, which were then incorporated into the podcast content. This was amplified through host-voiced audio ads, sponsorship reads, and social media cut-downs, all designed to offer "permission to slow down," not interrupt. The campaign yielded impressive results: over 700,000 listener engagements, 51.5 days equivalent watch time across social platforms, and exceeded delivery targets. Crucially, it drove a +6.3% uplift in consideration among 18-34s, achieved Starbucks' strongest long-term ROI of 18.83, and generated over 200,000 incremental transactions, proving the profound impact of this human-centric audio strategy.