About Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin' Donuts, rebranded as Dunkin’ in 2019, was founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. Originally known for its signature coffee and donuts, Dunkin has evolved into a global coffee and beverage giant, with over 13,000 locations worldwide. 

The brand's core offering now focuses on coffee, beverages, and breakfast items, aiming to be the go-to choice for on-the-go consumers. 

As of 2025, Dunkin operates in 42 countries, including the U.S., India, and South Korea, and employs over 270,000 individuals globally.

The company’s marketing evolution reflects broader industry trends, including the increasing importance of digital engagement, sustainability, and personalisation.

Dunkin's digital transformation, which includes an app and loyalty program, has driven significant growth.

In recent years, Dunkin has capitalised on social media trends, influencer partnerships, and innovative marketing campaigns to drive awareness and engage with younger audiences.

In terms of financial performance, Dunkin continues to grow, with a 10% revenue increase in 2025 and continued dominance in the coffee segment. The company remains competitive against brands like Starbucks and McDonald’s.

Marketing Objective or Business Challenge

In 2025, Dunkin’ aimed to solidify its leadership in the competitive coffee and beverage market while appealing to younger generations. With the rise of competitors like Starbucks and local coffee shops, Dunkin faced the challenge of differentiating itself. 

The brand's core objective was to increase brand recall, drive customer loyalty, and boost app engagement.

Key challenges included low visibility among younger consumers who prefer fast, tech-savvy brands. Additionally, Dunkin faced the task of repositioning itself from a traditional donut shop to a beverage-focused brand that resonated with a more diverse, socially-conscious audience.

By leveraging social media, influencer marketing, and exclusive merchandise, Dunkin aimed to generate excitement and strengthen customer retention.

Additionally, the company sought to grow its digital presence to better engage with Millennials and Gen Z, focusing on personalised campaigns and promotions through its app.

Marketing Channels Used by Dunkin Donuts

Main Channel for Marketing:

Dunkin’s marketing strategy in 2025 focuses heavily on digital platforms, with a primary emphasis on social media and influencer collaborations.

Subpart of the Marketing Channel:

• SEO: Dunkin has optimised its app store presence and website for better visibility, contributing to higher app downloads and user engagement.
• SEM: Paid search campaigns target coffee lovers and commuters, driving traffic to both their website and mobile app.
• Social Media: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are utilised for creating viral content, showcasing products, and facilitating influencer partnerships.
• Content Marketing: Dunkin posts fun, relatable content, including memes, behind-the-scenes videos, and customer engagement challenges.
• Email Campaigns: Personalised offers sent via email to Dunkin loyalty app users have significantly boosted conversion rates.

Brand-Specific Adjustments:

Dunkin has shifted from traditional advertising channels to digital-first strategies, with an increased focus on mobile apps, influencer partnerships, and engaging social media campaigns. The brand uses humour and pop culture to maintain relevance with Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

Additional Marketing Insights:

Dunkin has embraced influencer collaborations, leveraging personalities like Charli D’Amelio and Sabrina Carpenter to generate buzz and app downloads. The brand has also introduced limited-edition merchandise to increase engagement and loyalty.

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Dunkin' Donuts Marketing Strategy Breakdown 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & App Store Optimization (ASO):

• Dunkin' Donuts has focused on improving its SEO and ASO, resulting in a 25% increase in app downloads in 2025.
• These efforts have enhanced organic visibility and app discoverability, making it easier for customers to find and engage with the brand.

Paid Advertising (SEM):

• Through targeted Google Ads and social media campaigns, Dunkin' has successfully driven a 20% increase in traffic to its website and app.
• Paid ads have played a significant role in reaching customers on the go, promoting Dunkin's convenience and affordability.

Email Marketing Campaigns:

• Personalised email marketing has been a key driver of engagement for Dunkin'.
• By tailoring offers and promotions, Dunkin' has achieved a 30% higher open rate compared to the industry average, showcasing the effectiveness of segmentation and personalised content.

Content Strategy

Blog Posts & Videos:

• Dunkin' engages its audience with entertaining and informative content on Instagram and TikTok, using behind-the-scenes videos and fun brand moments.
• This strategy helps build a connection with a younger, social media-savvy audience.

Campaigns & Timelines:

• Campaigns like "DunKings" during the Super Bowl and the "Charli Cold Brew" launch have been instrumental in increasing brand awareness.
• Dunkin' effectively ties its marketing to relevant cultural moments, ensuring its campaigns stand out.

Influencer Partnerships

Influencer Campaigns:

• Dunkin' has collaborated with influencers like Charli D'Amelio, resulting in a 57% increase in app downloads.
• Collaborations with brands like Juicy Couture also create exclusivity and drive consumer excitement, helping Dunkin' expand beyond its traditional product range.

Brand Collaborations:

• In addition to influencer partnerships, Dunkin’ Donuts also collaborates with fashion and lifestyle brands like Juicy Couture for exclusive merchandise drops.
• This approach creates a sense of scarcity and exclusivity, appealing to a wider audience.
• These brand collaborations not only drive consumer excitement but also elevate Dunkin’s presence beyond its traditional product range, positioning it as a more lifestyle-centric brand.

Social Media Marketing

Platform-Specific Strategies:

• Dunkin' posts engaging, trend-driven content across TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
• By participating in viral trends and leveraging user-generated content, Dunkin' maintains its relevance and connection with younger audiences.

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Results & Impact 

Sales/Revenue:

• Total Revenue: $1.58 billion for the fiscal year 2024
• Growth: +6.1% year-over-year increase in total revenue, driven by increased consumer demand for both beverages and baked goods.
• Retail and Digital Sales: Dunkin' experienced significant growth in its digital sales platform, including app and online ordering, with digital sales now accounting for 25% of the overall revenue.

Website Traffic:

• Monthly Visits: 14.8 million in June 2025
• Growth: +4.8% increase compared to May 2025
• Average Session Duration: 3 minutes and 55 seconds
• Bounce Rate: 48.2%
• Organic Search Traffic: 7.7 million visits, reflecting a +1% increase in organic traffic driven by content on new menu items and promotions.
• Paid Search Traffic: 650K visits, showing a +10% growth, particularly from new product launches and seasonal offerings.

Engagement Metrics:

Social Media Engagement: Dunkin' Donuts has remained highly engaged on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Instagram: Increased engagement with +30% growth in likes, shares, and comments on posts promoting their new drinks and limited-time offers.

TikTok: Dunkin' has focused heavily on TikTok influencer partnerships, seeing a +50% growth in TikTok-related content engagement compared to 2024.

User-Generated Content (UGC): Dunkin’ ran a highly successful #DunkinReels campaign, increasing user-generated content participation by +15%.

SEO & Search Ranking:

Keywords: Dunkin' ranks for 981K keywords, including terms like “best iced coffee” and “Dunkin’ donuts near me.”

Backlinks: Dunkin’ has approximately 3.8 million backlinks, strengthening its website authority.

Referring Domains: 68.9K referring domains, contributing to increased organic search visibility.

SEO Impact: Dunkin’s content marketing, including blog posts on new menu items, helped boost its keyword rankings and organic traffic in 2025.

Influencer Marketing Impact:

Influencer Collaborations: Dunkin' partners with macro and micro-influencers on Instagram and TikTok to promote new products and seasonal offerings.

Campaign Reach: Collaborations with popular TikTok influencers contributed to a +25% increase in brand awareness, particularly around new iced coffee flavours and promotions.

Engagement Metrics: Influencer-driven campaigns experienced an average increase of +35% in engagement rates on Instagram, with some posts generating over 5 million impressions.

Emotional Connection & Loyalty:

Dunkin’ Rewards App Users: Over 15 million active users on the Dunkin’ app globally, showing strong customer loyalty.

Newsletter Subscribers: Dunkin’ continues to see significant growth in its email subscription list, with over 7 million opted-in subscribers, which drives engagement through personalised promotions.

Customer Retention: The Dunkin’ Rewards program helped improve customer retention by +10% year-over-year, as users continue to redeem rewards and exclusive offers.

Other Key Metrics:

Global Expansion: Dunkin’ has expanded its footprint in Asia and Europe, growing its presence by +12% year-over-year in these regions.

New Market Acquisitions: Dunkin’ continues to expand its presence in Mexico, China, and India, with international sales increasing by 18% year-over-year.

Franchise Growth: Dunkin' saw an increase of 8% in new franchise openings in North America in 2025.

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What Worked & Why

Dunkin Donuts' success in 2025 can be attributed to its innovative use of influencer marketing and social media.

Collaborations with influencers like Charli D’Amelio drove significant engagement and app downloads, reaching Dunkin’s target Gen Z and Millennial audience. 

The “DunKings” Super Bowl campaign created excitement around the brand, while limited-edition merchandise increased customer loyalty.

Dunkin’s shift towards a digital-first approach, focusing on personalised customer experiences and leveraging social media trends, resonated well with younger consumers.

By aligning its marketing efforts with customer interests and current trends, Dunkin successfully enhanced brand engagement and customer retention.

What Didn't Work & Why

Dunkin faced challenges with traditional advertising channels, such as TV and print ads, which underperformed compared to digital marketing efforts in 2025.

These traditional methods did not resonate as effectively with younger, tech-savvy audiences who prefer engaging with brands through social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

This shift indicates a change in consumer preferences towards digital-first experiences.

Additionally, some of Dunkin's past TV ad campaigns failed to generate the same level of buzz as their influencer-driven social media efforts.

Moving forward, Dunkin may need to reallocate its marketing budget to focus more on digital platforms and influencer collaborations, where they see the highest engagement and return on investment.

IIDE Student Recommendations: Key Areas for Brand Improvement

Introduction:
To further strengthen its market position, Dunkin Donuts can explore the following strategies:

Enhanced Personalisation through AI:

• Key Tactic: Implement AI-powered recommendations in the app.
• Why: Personalisation can boost customer satisfaction and drive repeat purchases, increasing overall customer lifetime value.

Expand Sustainability Initiatives:

• Key Tactic: Introduce more sustainable packaging options and promote Dunkin’s eco-friendly efforts.
• Why: Increasing environmental consciousness among consumers means Dunkin can attract eco-conscious buyers and align with evolving values.

Boost Loyalty Program with Exclusive Rewards:

• Key Tactic: Offer tiered rewards and exclusive perks for loyal app users.
• Why: A more rewarding loyalty program can enhance customer retention and increase the frequency of visits.

Invest in Augmented Reality (AR) Campaigns:

• Key Tactic: Develop AR-based campaigns and filter options on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
• Why: AR experiences can engage users in a fun and immersive way, attracting younger audiences and increasing app downloads.

Target Older Demographics:

• Key Tactic: Develop marketing campaigns specifically designed for older customers, incorporating convenience-based messaging.
• Why: Expanding Dunkin’s appeal to a broader demographic can increase market penetration and sales.

Increase Engagement through Gamification:

• Key Tactic: Introduce gamified elements in the Dunkin app, such as challenges or reward-based games.
• Why: Gamification drives deeper user engagement and increases time spent on the app, translating to higher sales.

Global Expansion with Local Adaptation:

• Key Tactic: Expand into new markets with customised menu offerings based on local tastes.
• Why: Adapting Dunkin’s offerings to local preferences can accelerate its international growth, as seen in successful markets like India.