Reset an iconic brand for a new generation, turning relevance into record growth.
The Challenge: After nearly 70 years of brand love, Dunkin’s identity had fallen out of step with culture. We needed to reset dated perceptions for a new generation while protecting the DNA that made it iconic.
The Insight: We were optimizing for transactions, while guests were celebrating the role Dunkin played in their daily lives. Growth would come from amplifying that emotional investment in bold, unexpected ways.
Dunkin' was America's habit.
We made it America's obsession.
We rebuilt Dunkin’ as a cultural force, not just a daily ritual.
We aligned brand, social, and partnerships around a single strategic decision: win culture, and growth follows. That shift made Dunkin the #1 most-followed restaurant brand on TikTok and drove the highest sales years in company history.
“The Charli Drink” drove record cold brew sales and reshaped our strategy. Snoop launched our first plant-based sandwich (of course). Merch evolved from disposable plastic to collectible. TikTok became our engine. Unexpected partnerships expanded our permission set, and owned moments like National Donut Day transformed from promotion to fandom tentpole.
Results
Highest sales in five years by 2019 helping position the company for successful acquisition.
+73% brand value growth
+8% growth in Cold Brew Servings after ‘The Charli Drink’ launch, Lifted cold brew category to historic record percentage of sales
#1 in brand love among consumers under 35
#32 on Morning Consult’s 50 Most Loved Brands (2020), the top-ranked restaurant brand, up from #55 in 2019.
Highest earned media in brand history post Dunkin’ name change