Starbucks Breaks Silence On Dolly Chaiwala Brand Ambassador Reports With A ‘No'
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Viral April Fool's meme featuring Dolly Chaiwala sparked brand ambassador rumours following which Tata Starbucks issued an official clarification.
Tata Starbucks has officially denied appointing viral tea seller Dolly Chaiwala as their brand ambassador following a surge of social media posts claiming otherwise. The confusion stemmed from a meme posted as an April Fool's Day prank, which many netizens took seriously, leading to widespread speculation of a supposed partnership.
The coffeehouse and roastery reserve, in their statement on LinkedIn, wrote that Starbucks India does not have any brand ambassadors. In particular, they clarified that no collaboration has been made with Dolly Chaiwala.
'We would like to clarify that TATA Starbucks does not have any official brand ambassadors in India. Specifically, we have not entered into any collaboration with Dolly Chaiwala," the brand wrote in their post on LinkedIn.
Tata Starbucks has clarified that it has no association with viral tea seller Dolly Chaiwala, following a wave of social media buzz sparked by an April Fool's Day meme. The meme, which showed Dolly—real name Sunil Patil—posing in front of a photoshopped Starbucks logo, falsely claimed he was appointed as the brand's ambassador in India.
In an official statement shared on LinkedIn, the company said the image was independently created and 'misconstrued" as part of a formal campaign. They stressed that Tata Starbucks does not have any brand ambassadors in India and reaffirmed their commitment to 'accuracy, authenticity, and the trust of our customers and communities."
The rumour reportedly began after a social media user shared the meme without context, leading many to believe the claim was legitimate. Soon, the image went viral, with thousands resharing it across platforms.
Dolly Chaiwala, a popular tea vendor from Nagpur, is known for his flamboyant personality and theatrical tea-making style, which has made him a social media sensation.
Dolly Chaiwala became the brand ambassador of Starbucks India pic.twitter.com/YjN3G2wNWW — Dixit Dave (@dixit_dave_) April 1, 2025
Who Is Dolly Chaiwala?
Dolly Chaiwala is a well-known street tea vendor from Nagpur with his unique outfit — waistcoats, gold chains, unmistakable hairstyles, and large sunglasses. His attitude and theatrics while serving customers have made him the centrepiece of social media viral content in India.
His celebrity status grew when Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates made an unexpected visit to his stall last year, where he served Gates tea which attracted international attention.
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