In its newest marketing campaign, Starbucks is ready to take a step away from the blindingly bedazzled tumblers and ridiculously priced cake pops to focus on how it all began: coffee. Following a drop in sales in Q1 of the fiscal year, the multibillion-dollar coffee chain is going back to its roots, attempting to rebrand as the coffee shop next door in its new 60-second spot, “Hello Again.”

A community coffeehouse

The company’s newly-appointed brand officer Tressie Lieberman said in a statement last month,

“Hello Again is a declaration of a return to our roots with a celebration of coffee and connection. The creative exudes the excitement and intention that goes into creating the best experience for our customers – from our baristas’ personal engagement to the beverages they craft. The music brings the energy and felt fitting for reintroducing Starbucks to the world.”

“Hello Again” is the second spot produced by Anomaly, a new advertising agency Starbucks brought on at the beginning of this year. The first ad, “Not My Name,” was released on January 26 and featured baristas writing names and personal notes on customer cups, a practice which was recently re-introduced.

In addition to promoting handwriting customer names, Starbucks is also bringing back condiment bars, free refills on coffee, and ceramic cups for those wanting to stay while they sip. It’s all part of their turnaround plan, following a 4% drop in first-quarter sales. The company stated they are recommitting themselves to providing a better customer experience and making Starbucks a “community coffeehouse” once more.

Starbucks in Sepia

“Hello Again” channels nostalgia from the outset. Filmed in a 4:3 aspect ratio with a slightly-sepia color grade and underscored by AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” the spot takes the audience behind the scenes of the Starbucks, where friendly baristas craft artisan drinks. These images then fade away into static polaroid shots of happy customers with their drinks and archive shots of the original Starbucks location in Seattle. The polaroids portray a wide array of customers – from a tailgating cowboy to a pair of happy restaurant workers. No doubt this is Starbucks’ first stab at trying to appeal to a broader audience – one of their new stated marketing goals.

In addition to “Hello Again,” the company also rolled out a 15-second spot promoting free coffee for all Starbucks Rewards members the Monday after the Super Bowl. The spot will air during the post-game show.

Is this new marketing strategy enough to turn around sales for the coffee chain? We’ll let you decide:

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