Starbucks is set to start paying baristas to become TikTok stars under a world-first scheme designed to turn staff into social media creators.
The coffee giant has teamed up with TikTok to launch a new Creator Network that will allow selected employees to produce content for the platform and receive a share of advertising revenue generated from their videos.
The initiative builds on Starbucks’ existing Green Apron Creators programme, which encourages staff to share behind-the scenes content and day-to-day life working at the coffee chain.
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Under the new scheme, Starbucks will be able to send creative briefs directly to selected baristas through TikTok’s Content Suite, with successful creators earning money through ad revenue sharing, as reported by What’s The Jam.
The pilot is due to launch later this summer and is expected to expand depending on what Starbucks and TikTok learn during the initial rollout.
Erin Silvoy, Starbucks’ senior vice-president of global marketing, said: “Every day, our partners bring Starbucks to life by creating moments of connection with our customers and with each other. And more than ever, they are sharing those moments with the world online in authentic, creative and unique ways.
“Collaborating with TikTok provided us with the opportunity to build a customised tool that allows us to celebrate and amplify our partners’ authentic storytelling.”
The move makes Starbucks the first brand to pilot TikTok’s custom Creator Network, a new system designed to help businesses recruit employees and brand advocates to create content that can later be used in paid advertising.
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TikTok said the platform was developed to help brands turn authentic user-generated content into adverts while allowing participating creators to share in the advertising revenue.
The initiative follows the launch of Starbucks’ Green Apron Creators programme in 2024, which was introduced to encourage employees to create social media content and develop their online presence.
According to Starbucks, its employees post on social media three times more frequently than workers at similarly sized retail chains.
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Research cited by TikTok also suggests employee-created content is becoming increasingly influential, with 61% of Gen Z consumers saying they regularly discover new products and services through content shared by employees.
For now, the Creator Network pilot has only been announced for Starbucks employees in the United States, with no plans for a UK rollout confirmed as of yet
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