Starbucks denies appointing Dolly Chaiwala as brand ambassador

Tata Starbucks has issued an official clarification following widespread social media speculation suggesting that the company had appointed Dolly Chaiwala as its brand ambassador.

In a public statement, Tata Starbucks clarified that it does not have any official brand ambassadors in India and specifically denied any collaboration with Sunil Patel, popularly known as Dolly Chaiwala. Patel, a tea seller from Nagour, who rose to online fame for his flamboyant tea-making style, went viral after serving tea to tech magnate Bill Gates in his signature manner. Most recently, he appeared on the reality television show Bigg Boss 18, further boosting his visibility.

The confusion appears to have stemmed from a meme created by an independent third party, which the company stated has been "misconstrued as a formal campaign." Instagram pages and LinkedIn pages have also shared this widely.

“Tata Starbucks is committed to communicating with accuracy and authenticity and we value the trust of our customers and communities,” the company added.

The clarification comes amid a surge of viral posts and memes that jokingly portrayed Dolly Chaiwala as being endorsed by the global coffee chain, following his appearance in an edited promotional-style visual.

 

 

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