Starbucks Assistants Rocked Cup Costumes at Prada 2 Premiere

TL;DR

Starbucks Stunt: Starbucks sent four real junior employees to the New York City premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2 wearing green cupholder costumes.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)
Employee Roles: Participants included sports media assistant Isabella D’Ambra, celebrity assistant Darnell Appling, social media intern Jestine Polanco, and personal assistant Victoria Hiegel.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)
Mixed Reactions: The campaign drew online praise from customers alongside jokes about embarrassment and criticism tied to unionization efforts.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)

The story at a glance

Starbucks ran a marketing stunt by sending four of its actual junior employees to the New York City premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Monday, dressed in green cupholder costumes before changing into formal wear. The event ties into a global campaign with 20th Century Studios for the sequel, releasing May 1, which features Starbucks like the original film. It's being reported now amid the film's promotional push and online buzz about the stunt.

Key points

Four employees—Isabella D’Ambra (sports media assistant), Darnell Appling (celebrity assistant), Jestine Polanco (social media intern), and Victoria Hiegel (personal assistant)—took part, per Starbucks' Instagram post.
They handed out gift cards in coffee cups labeled with film character names on New York City streets before attending the premiere.
The stunt links to the original film's plot where Anne Hathaway's character Andy Sachs fetches Starbucks for Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine.
The sequel reportedly includes Starbucks, prompting the company's heavy promotion.
Online reactions split: praise like “I could not love this more” in comments, jokes such as “A movie about fashion… and this is what they made them wear?”, and backlash calling it a “humiliation ritual” plus unionization critiques.

Details and context

The campaign builds on the coffee brand's role in the 2006 film, where Andy endures demanding coffee runs for her boss. Starbucks leaned into this for the sequel's hype, using real junior staff to embody the "assistants work hard" theme.

Employees wore the costumes publicly first, then switched to stylish outfits for the red carpet event at the premiere.

Backlash surfaced especially on a post by entertainment newsletter The Mail Cart, highlighting the fashion-film irony and labor tensions.

Key quotes

“I could not love this more.” — Starbucks Instagram commenter.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)

“A movie about fashion… and this is what they made them wear?” — Instagram user on The Mail Cart post.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)

“This is a humiliation ritual.” — Instagram commenter.[[1]](https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/starbucks-sent-real-assistants-to-the-devil-wears-prada-2-premiere-in-costume/91334582)

Why it matters

Movie tie-ins like this show how brands use cultural nostalgia to grab attention ahead of big releases. For marketers, it highlights the risks of stunts involving real employees, as fun ideas can spark labor debates. Watch online sentiment and sequel box office performance after the May 1 release to gauge lasting impact.

FAQ

Q: What did the Starbucks employees do during the stunt?

A: The four junior staff walked New York City streets in green cupholder costumes, handing out gift cards in coffee cups labeled with The Devil Wears Prada character names. They then attended the premiere, switching to formal outfits underneath the costumes. This was part of a global campaign with 20th Century Studios.

Q: Who were the specific Starbucks employees involved?

A: Isabella D’Ambra, a sports media assistant; Darnell Appling, a celebrity assistant; Jestine Polanco, a social media intern; and Victoria Hiegel, a personal assistant. Their roles were listed in Starbucks' Instagram post about the event.

Q: How did people react to the costumes at the premiere?

A: Comments praised it with lines like “I could not love this more,” but others joked about the fashion mismatch or called it a “humiliation ritual.” Criticism also linked to Starbucks' employee unionization efforts.

Q: Why is Starbucks promoting The Devil Wears Prada 2?

A: The original film featured Andy Sachs making Starbucks runs for her boss Miranda Priestly, and the sequel includes Starbucks too. The company tied the stunt to this connection via a press release.

What changed

Omit because no before/after shift described.