Chia Wu | Sr. Art & Design Director | UX UI Visual Designer - Online Portfolio

PROJECT OVERVIEW
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At Starbucks®, every detail is carefully crafted with thought, time, and artistry—that’s the essence of their brand. Each season, they create new beverages and bring back beloved favorites for customers to rediscover and fall in love with all over again. These seasonal promotional posters serve as a clear and inviting way to showcase what's new and in season, keeping the excitement fresh and engaging for everyone.

Starbucks Cold Brew

At Starbucks®, every detail is carefully crafted with thought, time, and artistry—that’s the essence of their brand. Each season, they create new beverages and bring back beloved favorites for customers to rediscover and fall in love with all over again. These seasonal promotional posters serve as a clear and inviting way to showcase what's new and in season, keeping the excitement fresh and engaging for everyone.

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Key Objectives:

01. Visual Reinvention: Reframe each beverage through fresh design language—integrating bold color palettes, modern type treatments, and photography that captures new angles, textures, and lighting to emphasize each drink’s unique qualities.

02. Seasonal Essence: Evoke the spirit of each season with carefully chosen props, backdrops, and colors that create a unique experience without repeating past designs.

03. Culinary Photography: Direct photography to highlight beverages in an appetizing way through natural lighting, close-ups, and thoughtful composition that brings out the richness and details of each drink.

The Challenges:

Each year, as seasonal favorites return to the Starbucks® menu, the challenge isn’t just in promoting the beverages but in reimagining them visually. How do you take a beverage that customers already love and present it in a way that feels completely new, exciting, and refreshing—without falling into repetition? My task was to elevate the creative direction, ensuring the visuals felt both timeless and contemporary, while staying true to the brand’s evolving seasonal narrative. This required a seamless blend of design innovation and photography that could highlight both the familiarity of returning favorites and the allure of new beverages.

The black background and white surface capture the contrast between traditional (hot) and cold coffee, intentionally breaking the hot-cold dichotomy. While the beverage in the center forms a bridge inviting traditional coffee drinkers into a cold alternative.

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In a kitchen, a father and his daughter stand side by side, preparing food or enjoying a moment together.

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Logo Collection

Set against a bold black background and crisp white surface, the imagery highlights the contrast between hot and cold coffee, cleverly blurring the lines between the two. The beverage at the center acts as an invitation, drawing traditional coffee lovers into the world of cold brews.

The drink’s shadow subtly evokes the ambiance of a late afternoon, hinting at the perfect moment for Happy Hour.

The copper tones of the mug capture the spirit of fall, echoing the look of drying leaves, while the dark, cool backdrop hints at the changing season. A sprinkle of pumpkin spice adds a comforting warmth.