Vida Wisham
Staff Writer
Fall is my favorite season of the year. Back at home, the trees would change to the brightest, most beautiful colors, and all the leaves would start to fall into piles I would play in. My mom wore these big scarves, and I would cozy up next to her. In October, my family would carve pumpkins and create the most outlandish designs possible.
I’ve always loved the fall spirit with the big comfy sweaters, warm drinks, pumpkins, the scene of a fireplace burning as leaves fall outside. Naturally, I am all for the Trader Joe’s aesthetic with the pumpkin spice candles, muffins, cakes, cookies, and anything else pumpkin-related.
However, I have never really understood the hype around the pumpkin spice latte. It just never appealed to my taste whenever I got it. Yet, every time I pass the sign that has an obscenely large picture with the big words advertising that the pumpkin spice latte (PSL) is back for the fall season, I always think, “Why not advertise the chai?” The iced pumpkin cream chai, my personal favorite drink of the season, encapsulates all the fall feelings, with the perfect balance of sweet creaminess from the cold foam and spice from the chai. The other day, I even tried the pumpkin spice cold brew. Another delicious, standout drink. So, why does the PSL hold all the fame among fall flavored drinks?
This made me wonder if it just happens to be a common flavor that people like. What exactly is it that sets the PSL apart from other drinks of the season? The PSL may be popular, but is it even that good? Is it the most popular because of how much it is advertised or is it that it was advertised so much that it became popular? I am curious if it is just about the thought of scarcity. Does everyone want it because it’s only available during fall? But still, why not other flavors? Why is the PSL the king of autumnal drinks?
After reading a Starbucks article about how they launched their first fall flavors, I learned that they took a survey from customers about which flavors sounded most intriguing, and the pumpkin ones scored high on how unique they were, which made them decide to start with the PSL. Their new fall flavor took off, and then later, the other drinks followed. TikTok and Instagram showed people enjoying the PSL, helping boost its popularity. Then, as these flavors gained more traction, other fast food chains and cafes continued the trend in order to stay relevant.
Though Starbucks brought a sense of community through this seasonal drink both online and in person during fall, I think we should start to look at the other options this season. This year, find a new fall favorite and/or in general go support your community! Although Starbucks has the PSL, various other cafes and coffee shops have contributed to the fall spirit in Isla Vista, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and even your own hometown.
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