Starbucks regains top spot on KakaoTalk gift rankings after 'Tank Day' controversy
A screen capture show a Starbucks e-card voucher being ranked first in the "Cafe" category on KakaoTalk Gift. A Starbucks coffee-and-dessert voucher placed second. Captured from KakaoTalk
Effect of major marketing mishap involving dark side of Korean modern history seemingly fading
Starbucks has reclaimed the No. 1 position in KakaoTalk's mobile gift voucher rankings after a sharp decline triggered by controversy over its "Tank Day" promotion linked to the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising.
According to KakaoTalk Gift's rankings as of Wednesday, Starbucks' 50,000-won ($33) e-card voucher ranked first in the "Cafe" category under gift certificates. The mobile voucher can be registered through the Starbucks app or exchanged for a Starbucks card at stores.
A Starbucks voucher package consisting of two coffees and a dessert ranked second, while the company's 30,000-won e-card voucher placed fourth.
Starbucks returned to the top of the rankings on Tuesday, just eight days after losing the position to budget coffee chain Mega MGC Coffee amid a consumer boycott sparked by the controversy.
On May 25, Mega MGC Coffee vouchers occupied the top three positions in the category, displacing Starbucks, which had held the No. 1 spot for years. The rankings are based on factors including sales volume, the number of users who add products to their wish lists and click-through rates.
Online reactions have been mixed.
Some internet users argued that the boycott campaign against Starbucks had gone too far. One commenter wrote that whether people choose to drink Starbucks coffee should be left to individual preference.
Others criticized what they described as government involvement in a consumer-led boycott movement.
A Starbucks location in Seoul / Yonhap
Meanwhile, some users argued that the effects of the boycott are still being felt. One commenter claimed that while Starbucks has recovered its position in the KakaoTalk gift rankings, the company's actual sales continue to be affected.
The controversy erupted after Starbucks promoted a "Tank Day" event on May 18, the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Uprising, drawing criticism from those who viewed the campaign as insensitive to a date associated with one of Korea's most significant pro-democracy uprisings. Starbucks later apologized for the promotion.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.