Dunkin’ Runs on Digital: From Donuts to Massive Marketing Success
Remember when Dunkin’ introduced us to the powerhouse team of Ben Affleck, Tom Brady, and Matt Damon and dubbed them the DunKings during Super Bowl LVIII in February of 2024? This was a big moment for the coffee and donut chain that loves to celebrate its Boston routes.
As the year end approached, Dunkin’ introduced a new face to the brand: popstar Sabrina Carpenter. The campaign was a smash hit. Along with her debut came a limited-time drink called the “Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso”, a hand-shaken subtly sweet beverage with a balance of rich espresso and a creamy oat milk layer.
Related: The Super Bowl: A Marketing Extravaganza
In 2025, Sabrina Carpenter teamed up with the 13 billion dollar brand to create a comical commercial featuring the Dunkin’ Daydream Hotline. The advertisements shows the “Espresso” singer picking up the phone and enegaging with a late-night caller looking for something “refreshing”. “Oh, you’re hot … I see. I think I know what you’re really craving,” she suggests to the caller. The spot was developed through an ongoing collaboration with Ben Affleck’s Artists Equity and directed by Nadia Lee Cohen.
So what is the Dunkin’ brand doing to absolutely crush the marketing game? Well, they’re blending nostalgia with pop culture while taking bold and fearless actions. They’re bringing storytelling and entertainment value, dropping limited-time and pop culture products, optimizing celebrity collabs, having fun on social media, and offering generous rewards through app-exclusive offers.
Recently, Dunkin’ launched a Wicked: For Good campaign. The Dunkin × Wicked line includes new drinks (like a "Wicked Green Matcha" and "Wicked Pink Refresher"), Wicked-themed MUNCHKINS, limited-edition merch, and highly entertaining social media content.
As part of the campaign, Dunkin’ produced a marketing spot where actors from the film appear in a playful “behind-the-scenes” short, imagining what it would be like if Dunkin’ existed in the world of Oz — complete with tagline “I didn’t just fly… I ran on Dunkin’!” Their social media strategy got more than a little unhinged in the tail end of 2025… (Here’s a link to the Dunkin’ Instagram page for all those looking to do a deep dive).
So what can we learn from Dunkin’ and its 2024 and 2025 marketing strategy? For one, don’t take things so seriously. For another, take more risks. You can be one of the biggest brands in the world and do something entirely differently than you ever have to bring in a new audience. Sure, you can play it safe. But you absolutely don’t have to, in fact— it’s far more entertaining when you don’t!
UPDATE: Lindsay Lohan has entered the chat as the latest celebrity spokesperson for the brand (December 1st, 2025)
Dunkin's marketing strategy offers lessons in combining authenticity with broad appeal by using influencer marketing that focuses on genuine connections and creating cultural moments around product launches. They win by actively using actual fans of their product for celebrity endorsements (like Ben Affleck). In a world where it can sometimes be unclear just how much someone genuinely enjoys a product, partnering with an actor who advertised the brand for years prior to the partnership was a smart move!
Whether you’re more of a brew at home person, a local coffee shop frequenter, a Starbucks fan, or a Dunkin’ loyal, there’s a lot that can be learned from the Dunkin’ approach and all eyes are on what they’ll do to turn heads at the turn of this upcoming year.
And on that note… what will you do in your 2026 marketing efforts? Will you deviate or double down on what you’re currently doing? Our team can help guide you on your 2026 marketing journey. If you want to take your marketing strategy to the next level then The Scoop Brands will set your company up for marketing success. Get in contact with us for web design, marketing strategy, Meta, Facebook, Instagram, and Google ads, social media help, blos, SEO, email marketing, strategy, partnerships, event help, and more.
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