Starbucks says its "Back to Starbucks" transformation plan is gaining momentum two years in, with global comparable sales up 7.9% last quarter.

Alongside more inviting coffeehouses and more consistent service, marketing has played a key part in delivering that growth, according to the company.

At Brandweek in Atlanta, Starbucks chief brand officer Tressie Lieberman sat down with Adweek chief brand officer and community officer Jenny Rooney to discuss how the Seattle-founded brand has been reclaiming the spirit that made it iconic in the first place.

When she joined in 2024, Lieberman said the brand felt like it had "lost a bit of soul."

"So it was very simple," she said, according to the partial transcript published by Adweek.

The rest of the conversation, which outlines three ways Starbucks is reclaiming its brand magic, sits behind Adweek's paywall.