Discover the breathtaking Alpine location of the Starbucks 2026 Olympics commercial and the history of its infectious, wordless theme song.
One of the most enjoyable commercials for these Winter Olympics is undoubtedly the Starbucks spot, which perfectly captures the essence of the experience. Immersed in the beauty of a classic Alpine town—close to the Italian setting where the 2026 Olympics are taking place—the Starbucks ad makes us feel right there alongside the athletes, savoring the pleasure of a coffee.
Seeing that kind and hardworking young man dedicated to offering everyone a coffee while they enjoy their time in the snowy Alps—riding a Vespa (the iconic Italian scooter now famous worldwide) through narrow mountain streets—is a charming image in itself. Add to that the beauty of the filming location and the appeal of that easily hummable song, and you have all the elements that made the Starbucks commercial so iconic in 2026.
Curiosity is important and deserves to be satisfied: we’re uncovering the mysteries of The Coffee Run, the 2026 Starbucks Olympics ad.
Hall in Tirol: The Alpine Location Where the Starbucks Commercial Was Filmed
As many are aware, the 2026 Winter Olympics are hosted by two iconic Italian cities: Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Of the two, Cortina is the mountain heart of the games. Nestled in the Alps and sitting just a stone’s throw from the Austrian border, it is one of Italy’s most prestigious ski destinations and a symbol of the preserved medieval mountain villages that dot the Italian landscape.
To capture the authentic, timeless atmosphere required for the campaign, Starbucks ventured slightly further north into Austria. The outdoor scenes for the Starbucks Olympics commercial were filmed in the small town of Hall in Tirol, located about a three-hour drive from Cortina d’Ampezzo. Much like its Italian neighbor, Hall in Tirol is a stunning medieval village designed for walking, with narrow, winding streets that climb toward the surrounding peaks.
It is through these very streets that the young man in the commercial embarks on his journey, loading his Vespa with coffee to distribute to those in need—whether they are athletes training for the gold or spectators simply soaking in the view. Among the Team USA athletes featured in the spot, you likely recognized figure skater Amber Glenn, bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor and the Paralympic athletes Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike, all appearing in their element amidst the snow.
South American Getaway: Burt Bacharach’s “Wordless” Masterpiece
If you have tried using Shazam during the commercial without success, you are not alone. The song accompanying the scooter’s journey through the snow is a piece of cinematic history that defies the rules of traditional pop music. It is South American Getaway, a track composed by the legendary Burt Bacharach for the soundtrack of the 1969 cult film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. You can listen to it in full streaming below:
The song is a masterful example of scat singing: a vocal technique in which the singers (in this case, the Ron Hicklin Singers) do not use words, but instead rhythmic syllables and improvised sounds. This choice is not accidental; it hides a deep meaning that perfectly blends with the spirit of the Olympics and the film for which the song was originally written.
The power of this singing style lies in its state of absolute freedom: when words fail, only the rhythm, energy, and dynamism of the melodies remain. There are no longer limits to the expression of emotions. In the original film, the song emphasized a moment of escape and joy for the protagonists; similarly, in the Starbucks commercial, it becomes the soundtrack to… the pleasure of coffee.
You can think of the role of this high-energy young man as a courier of happiness in a cup. While the athletes train and tourists visit the iconic sites of the Alps, coffee becomes the tool for everyone to enter this bubble of old-fashioned happiness, reminiscent of the image of the Italian “Dolce Vita.” To use a metaphor closer to sports, it is as if everyone we see in the Starbucks ad is passing a symbolic relay baton—filled with good Starbucks coffee—to share that well-being and carry it to the “finish line,” which represents something different for each of us.
Bacharach, a two-time Oscar winner for that soundtrack, created a piece that sounds incredibly modern even in 2026. Its jazz-pop structure, combined with that incessant “ba-da-da,” evokes a sense of perpetual motion, perfectly captured by the steady driving of the boy on the Vespa. It is the rhythm of preparation, of coffee passing from hand to hand like an Olympic torch, and of a tradition being renewed.
Using “South American Getaway” means tapping into an era of cinematic elegance to tell the story of the effort and beauty of winter sports. At the same time, it is an invitation to disconnect from the noise of the modern world to rediscover a more human, joyful, and shared pace—whether on the mountain roads of the Alps or inside the Starbucks nearest to home.
