Starbucks Brings Back PSL in New Autumn Campaign

“It’s not fall until Starbucks says it’s fall.” 

Those are the words of Tressie Lieberman, Global Chief Brand Officer of Starbucks, sharing the news that the company has brought back its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte for 2026. 

Starbucks has relaunched this fan-favourite product through a new campaign starring Off Campus star Belmont Cameli and Martha Stewart – described by the company as “the queen of fall”.

“One of my favourite rituals is finally here,” Tressie says. “This year, we're bringing the joy with new fall favourites, returning classics and The One and Only, a campaign celebrating the passionate fans who turned PSL into a cultural icon. 

“And yes, Martha Stewart and Belmont Cameli are even joining the fun. It has been a true dream team effort to bring this all to life.”

Starbucks’s PSL relaunch

Starbucks’s latest campaign leans into being basic, alongside all things autumn. 

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is perhaps the company’s most famous drink, and Starbucks is celebrating its cultural iconography through the advertising – with Martha Stewart portraying the drink as perfect for the season. 

According to Starbucks, the Pumpkin Spice Latte "started a movement” – which has inspired memes and built up a passionate community of fans over the years. 

“Fall can be basic,” Starbucks says. “And it’s perfect.”

In 2024, Starbucks saw a 24.1% increase in foot traffic on Pumpkin Spice Latte launch day, according to Placer.ai, with Americans reporting in Empower’s ‘Pumpkin Premium’ survey that they spend US$32 per month on pumpkin spice-flavoured items during the season. 

In 2025, Starbucks had its strongest Tuesday ever with the launch of its Autumn menu, sustaining record-breaking sales throughout the week.

“Our success is a direct result of your hard work, your relentless focus on excellence and your commitment to craft, quality and exceptional customer service,” Brian Niccol, CEO of Starbucks, said of last year’s success in a letter to Starbucks employees. 

“Every coffeehouse I visited this week was buzzing with energy. And I’ve heard fantastic feedback from customers and partners that they see and feel the difference.”

Back to basics

Starbucks has been focusing on rebuilding its brand identity in recent years, following Brian’s appointment as CEO.

The company has been working on a ‘Back to Starbucks’ initiative, that looks to reposition the brand as a ‘third space’ for customers – a concept once central to the company’s marketing identity, but had been eroded over time. 

According to Brian, this came about after finding that the company had become too focused on efficiency – a departure from its carefully curated brand image. 

Speaking on The CEO Signal podcast, he said: “We got really focused on trying to be efficient and run it like a manufacturing facility, as opposed to recognising, no, this is actually a customer service experience, where we do great craft and create great drinks for people on time.”

By focusing on products that are unmistakably Starbucks – like the Pumpkin Spice Latte – the company is reestablishing that brand equity and returning to its roots. 

Who are Starbucks’s key partners? 

• Microsoft: Microsoft functions as one of Starbucks's key cloud and AI partners, supporting the company’s digital operations through Microsoft Azure. This long-standing technological collaboration powers the proprietary Deep Brew AI platform, which provides predictive maintenance for store equipment, personalised mobile ordering recommendations and automated inventory management. 
• Nestlé: Starbucks and Nestlé formed a global coffee alliance to accelerate and grow the global reach of Starbucks brands in Consumer Packaged Goods and Foodservice. In 2026, Nestlé and Starbucks expanded their Global Coffee Alliance by launching the Starbucks Coffee Craft Concentrate for iced drinks at home.
• Alibaba Group: Helping to power Starbucks’s digital ecosystem in China, Alibaba Group serves as a crucial technology and e-commerce partner to Starbucks. The collaboration integrates Starbucks services into platforms like Taobao, Alipay and Ele.me, facilitating seamless mobile ordering, delivery logistics and customer loyalty management. 
• Amazon: Amazon and Starbucks partnered to launch hybrid concept locations, including Starbucks Pickup with Amazon Go in New York, which uses Amazon’s ‘Just Walk Out’ technology. These joint store locations allow customers to buy handcrafted beverages alongside grab-and-go food items without waiting at checkout tills.