Overview:
As the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to turn, many Americans take their yearly pilgrimage to their favorite coffee shop for a Pumpkin Spice Latte. This year marks the PSL’s 20th birthday, giving us a glimpse into the background and enduring quality of this trend.
Why has the “pumpkin craze” lasted, and what societal factors contribute to its ongoing success? Presence News investigates this cultural staple and gives insight into the fascination of spice, sugar, and autumn itself.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
“Pumpkin Spice Latte was sprinkled with spice, it has become more than just a beverage. It’s become a pop culture phenomenon, social media star, and the inspiration for hundreds (if not, thousands!) of pumpkin-related products,” Starbucks announced in a previous press release.
In April 2003, Americans took their first sip of a Pumpkin Spice Latte – the world was a different place then as war was declared on Iraq, Apple launched iTunes, and Finding Nemo premiered in movie theaters across the country. Somewhere on the 7th floor of Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, a lab creation blended nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin purée, and cloves. Amalgamated together, the ingredients joined a smooth espresso — and the rest, they say, is history.
The flavor caught the nation, and Starbucks introduced the phenomenon to stores in Canada in 2004. Yet in recent history, the desire to celebrate autumn has gone beyond pumpkin flavoring. Something tugs at the collective heartstrings, reflected in habits and traceable trends.
Changing Seasons
The collective mindset of the nation hinges upon the school calendar. Public education seems to set the pace and ideas for the final “fling” of summer. The last taste of summer barbecues and splashes in the family or hotel pool remind families of the coming reality.
Several states resume classes before Labor Day and the long weekend preceding it. Major retailers introduce annual “back-to-school” sales and promotions; after all, a college dorm room would not be complete without the latest Keurig coffee machine, and the newest pair of Vans are essential for junior high. These marketing tactics stretch back to the late 19th century.
Even in Canada and the United Kingdom, these influences were first felt nearly 100 years ago. Although British and Canadian citizens lived by a religious calendar as given by the Church of England, celebrating the time of harvest is not foreign.
When school is back in session, many parents find themselves driving past coffee shop chains featuring seasonal menu items.
Make Mine a Double
Flannel shirt? Check. A wide-brimmed felt hat? Check. Boots – chic ones, not for working or hiking, unless you’re headed to the corn maze? Check. Now, if you add a typewriter and a latte with a triple pump of pumpkin flavor, you’ve entered the realm of the millennial “hipster.”
But what exactly is a hipster, and what do they have to do with the ubiquitous latte?
Latte
According to Cat Baklarz in a previous article, “Grief (Mark) suggests that the combination of the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle, degradation of the natural world, and the Iraq invasion all contributed to cultural changes that left Millennials and members of Generation Z disenchanted with their new millennium. This disenchantment changed the way Americans interacted with economic elites. It also changed the way young Americans expressed themselves in a stronger-than-ever consumer culture.”
Companies took note of this rising trend and capitalized on the theme, including fair-trade coffees and organically sourced fabrics. The autumnal vibes lent themselves to buffalo plaid prints and gingham shirts as remnants from a more agrarian society. Once again, marketing merged with public consciousness.
Cozy Delights
“Pumpkin spice is linked to fall and brings back cozy feelings. The spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger remind us of childhood and the season’s change. This emotional tie makes it feel like a warm hug or a cozy candle flame,” stated Hill Country Chocolates in Fredericksburg, Texas.
Memories are powerful things. In an instant, any one of us can be transported to a specific place in time. Even the national holiday of Thanksgiving reminds us of hearth and home, of family and unity.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the last links to America’s colonial past, before the Revolution and separation from Great Britain. Since Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 public declaration, Thanksgiving celebrations continue to unfold across the U.S.
Family. Gratitude. Unity. In our fragmented and increasingly violent world, who doesn’t long for these things?
Happy Birthday
According to Starbucks, “Since its first debut in stores on October 10, 2003, the beloved beverage has sparked a love for all things fall and pumpkin spice. Over the last two decades, PSL has become a cultural phenomenon, so much so that Merriam-Webster officially added pumpkin spice to the dictionary last year.”
However, not everyone shares the enthusiasm.
Roze, a student at the New Brunswick Community College, said in a recent article, “The artificial flavor is disgusting. The only thing I do not like about fall is seeing everyone obsess over PSLs. Makes me want to shut off social media for a month.”
PSL
“I’ll be real with you, in the 20 (!) years since the PSL first debuted, I don’t think I’ve ever had one. Maybe I’ve had a sip or two here and there, but I’ve never bought and casually sipped one intentionally. I’m not really a coffee drinker, in general; I tend to find the flavors to be too intense (or my lactose intolerance kicks in),” Kaitlin Cubria wrote in February 2024.
From the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Japan, the “pumpkin craze” endures. Like it or not, it will go on for the foreseeable future. So don your flannel and sip your crafted beverage — you’re equipped with insight into a seasonal cultural phenomenon.
Sources
- Starbucks Press Release – Pumpkin Spice Latte Anniversary
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary Update (Pumpkin Spice)
- Cat Baklarz, “Cultural Shifts Post-1999”
- Hill Country Chocolates (Fredericksburg, TX) – Company statement
- Kaitlin Cubria, February 2024 article on Starbucks drinks
- Roze, New Brunswick Community College interview
- YouTube – Starbucks PSL History
- YouTube – Pumpkin Spice Latte Culture
