Brian Niccol's turnaround slogan after taking over as Starbucks CEO in September 2024. The premise: Starbucks had drifted from its identity as a "third place" community coffeehouse into a mobile-order fulfillment center with long queues and joyless experience. "Back to Starbucks" framed a return to seating, ceramic cups, baristas writing names, and shorter menus. A clean case study in how a single, memorable phrase can both diagnose and direct a strategic reset — worth studying for any founder whose product has drifted from its original promise.
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- Brian Niccol — author of the strategy