This 2014 Starbucks ad for which the coffee company partnered with LGBT network OUTtv, features Bianca Del Rio and Adore Delano, two stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-present), an American reality television series in which contestants compete to be “America’s next drag superstar.” Del Rio and Delano were rivals on the show and this dynamic is used to express the impact Starbucks has had since 1971, where customers can “expect more than great coffee,” since an intuitive barista is shown anticipating the desires of both drag queens, quelling their argument by presenting them both with coffee at the same time.

discussion

Why did Starbucks choose to feature Bianca Del Rio and Adore Delano in this television advertisement?

Other than Rupaul’s Drag Race, have you seen a commercial, television show, movie, or other media with a drag queen represented before? How are drag queens typically portrayed in the media?

How does the ad represent the two main characters?  Does it perpetuate or challenge stereotypes? How?