Starbucks Launches Harry Potter Campaign Across 12 APAC Markets

Starbucks has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to bring a Harry Potter-themed campaign to 12 Asia Pacific markets, beginning March 23, 2026. The rollout covers Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Campaign Products and Merchandise

The campaign centers on three exclusive beverages under the Honeydukes Bursting Bonbons product line: an Iced Latte, a Frappuccino Blended Beverage, and a Frozen Tea. Each features honey bergamot-flavored bubble bursts and pink and green candy sprinkles.

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Beverage availability varies by market. The Iced Latte and Frappuccino launched in five markets: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore. The Frozen Tea launched across eight markets, adding Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam to that list.

The merchandise collection includes more than 20 items. Products range from color-changing Hogwarts House mugs and cauldron-accented tumblers to Bearista keychains and sorting hat sticky notes.

Nancy Lo, VP of Product and Marketing at Starbucks Asia Pacific, described the partnership in values terms. "Bringing Harry Potter into Starbucks coffeehouses across Asia Pacific reflects a shared belief in imagination and human connection," Lo said. "Harry Potter has long inspired us to celebrate friendship, courage, and community — the same spirit we see every day in our coffeehouses."

Loyalty Program Integration and Tiered Launch

In the Philippines, Starbucks Rewards members received early access to select Harry Potter merchandise from March 17 to 19, three days before the nationwide launch on March 24. The early access window rewards loyalty program members while generating pre-launch social media activity from engaged customers.

The staggered product rollout across markets reflects deliberate planning. Different beverages were assigned to different markets, suggesting product decisions were shaped by local taste preferences and supply chain considerations rather than a single regional menu.

Building on the Wicked Partnership Template

The Harry Potter campaign follows Starbucks' November 2024 collaboration with Universal Pictures for the Wicked film release. That campaign covered five markets (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, and Vietnam) and featured themed beverages and merchandise centered on characters Glinda and Elphaba.

The expansion from five markets for Wicked to 12 markets for Harry Potter, combined with a larger merchandise catalog, indicates that Starbucks Asia Pacific has systematically scaled its IP partnership model. The company also has more than 400 new Asia Pacific store openings planned, providing the physical retail base needed to run campaigns at this scale.

Starbucks Asia Pacific's two-tier marketing approach runs global IP campaigns alongside hyper-local activations. In the Philippines, a separate 2026 Traditions Collection campaign anchored by the Eraserheads song "Ligaya" ran in parallel with the region-wide Harry Potter rollout, illustrating how the brand balances broad franchise appeal with market-specific cultural references.

Regional Context and Partnership Risks

IP-driven campaigns have become a core growth strategy for premium consumer brands across Asia Pacific, particularly in Southeast Asian markets where younger consumers show strong interest in collectible merchandise and limited-time products.

However, brand partnerships in the region carry reputational risk. A recent Starbucks Malaysia collaboration with Tourism Malaysia faced social media backlash linked to boycott sentiment, resulting in the removal of some social media posts. The episode highlights the importance of pre-launch sentiment monitoring as part of campaign planning across Southeast Asian markets.

The Harry Potter campaign merchandise is available in stores across all 12 markets from March 23, 2026.