Time to update you on my quest to create this year’s Starbucks Red Cup! You can read how my mission to win a commission from one of my favorite brands began here.

After sending Daniele Monti, Starbucks’ Creative Director at their HQ in Seattle, an inky package in the post a few weeks ago, I followed up with an email as a more traditional means of introduction. Despite it being the weekend, within a few hours a reply had pinged back to my in-box! Hurrah!

Turns out, for some mystical reason the package had not yet reached Starbucks (good old Royal Mail!) but for several days he had been receiving emails encouraging him to support the mysterious ‘Campaign for the Christmas Cup’ and my inky Starbucks ambitions. Needless to say, a little out of context this had caused some confusion!

Firstly, my sincere and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to tweet or email Daniele or Darcy (@starbucksukmd) directly about the campaign! It has been unbelievably humbling and inspiring to hear your words of encouragement and support and I’m acutely aware that without you all making so much noise, I would not have captured their attention. So thank you. Truly.

Back to the story…

I exchanged a few emails with Daniele and some good news and some bad emerged from our conversation.

Bad news: the design for the 2011 Christmas Cup… is already in production and has been for several months. Yip, these guys take forward planning REALLY seriously! This was hugely disappointing and a bit of a crush to say the least. Yes folks, it would seem the destiny of your Gingerbread latte has already been decided.

However not one to give up easily, I continued the dialogue to Daniele, expressing my obvious regret that this opportunity had passed, but again voicing my love for the brand, my passion for my work and the desire to create work for them.

And… a little persistence paid off!

Good News: 10 days ago I received another email from Daniele asking me to send some more sample cups and my portfolio on an overnight courier to Seattle in time for a meeting with his Starbucks HQ colleagues. Result! A frenzy of coffee fuelled activity took over the studio for 24 hours as I created the 3 new cups and packaged up my portfolio.

 

This time, I put my Starbucks hopes and dreams in the more capable hands of DHL (thanks to all of you

who tweeted advice on 24 hr UK /USA couriers by the way!)

And now?

The parcel arrived.

The meetings have taken place.

And this morning, at 2:05am I received an email from Mr Monti.. with some news which made me smile.

It would seem a little cheeky persistence and some packages in the post may have indeed sparked an idea at Starbucks HQ and they need to mull a few things over…

😉

Can’t say more just yet, but In the meantime, thank you again for the kind words of support and RT’s so far – who knows where this might lead! When I have more news, you’ll be the first to hear!

J