Dunkin' Donuts' inspiring "happy life and work" mantra-America Runs on Dunkin' - has carried seamlessly throughout the company's traditional and viral advertising campaigns, reaping the benefits of a stable positive net sentiment throughout the year.
A clever model on how a brand can sustain positive sentiment, the company is an exemplary case study in linking a dedicated social media strategy to social ROI. With its "green" policy and a social responsibility standard, Dunkin' Donuts has a long history of donating to U.S. servicemen and women. To honor this Veterans Day, for example, the company will be donating to the USO.
The brand's strategy all combined also has paid off on the company's valuation. Established in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts has traded publicly only since July 2011, with stock value fluctuating nominally in the high 20s.
#1 In Customer Loyalty
With Dunkin' Donuts ranking #1 for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for five years running, Localspeak wanted to know what NetBase social analytics could reveal about the brand's drivers propelling this steadfast track record. While prolific in the US, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) notoriously suffer from consumer grousing about customer service and the quality of food and beverages. However, on the positive side of our social analysis Dunkin' Donuts ranked highest for its coffee beverages (in particular the variety of flavors) as well as their taste and boldness. The online DD Perks program also helps support patronage and loyalty.
Dunkin Donuts coffee is better than Starbucks, last job proved that. You're not a true coffee drinker if you don't know that! source
Love my Dunkin Donuts ppl. They always have my coffee ready for Me...xo. source
Dunkin' Donuts menu items also were singled out for their tastiness. Items were noted often for variety and quality, with customers often citing product superiority and value over Starbucks or other brands. Breakfast was found to be an all-around favorite, as were certain donut items such as Munchkins.
I like the Pumpkin coffee from Dunkin Donuts better. The Pumpkin spice was ok, but not my favorite. source
Dunkin Donuts has amazing hashbrowns.... they have a slight onion taste and are seasoned. much better than bking/mcdonalds. source
'Caught Drinking' Bruins Tie-In
In strategically placing coupon offers for free or discounted products in its upbeat viral ads, Dunkin' Donuts has cultivated loyalty for the brand and driven sales in its QSR locations and other stores where product is sold. This social media campaign is tied to an ROI strategy that allows the brand to drive sales by creating customized outbound coupon offers. Dunkin' Donuts also creates smart local market brand associations to inspire affinity and loyalty through customer engagement with its product, such as these:
Love Dunkin Donuts new campaign in Boston. People "caught drinking" the brand's ice coffee on the street can get free Bruins tix. source
I bet you didn't know that today is Apple Pie Day? Oh, wait - you did? Well, how patriotic of you.
In order to celebrate this great day for our union, breakfast superstars Dunkin Donuts is running a contest on Twitter to give away $50 gift cards to its followers. Using the hashtag #ApplePieDDay, tweet your guess for the types of apples Dunkin uses in its apple pie, and you could win. source
In the Mood
Perhaps a nod to Dunkin' Donuts "feel good" advertizing themes, some customers tuned in on the coffee's mood enhancing value as noted by the posts below:
Every morning my husband, the dogs and I have coffee on the porch of our 111-year-old house! What's brewing? We love Dunkin Donuts coffee! We buy the whole beans and our coffeemaker grinds and makes the heavenly brew with the push of one button. My husband is usually up first and the wonderful smell of brewing coffee drifts through the French doors of our bedroom and wakes me (and the dogs!). source
My son kept me up all night cutting teeth and I am drinking the strongest coffee in the world this morning! Gotta love Dunkin Donuts coffee! source
The brand's staying power on the American landscape has also created sentimental value, noted in this post:
I've loved Dunkin Donuts chocolate donuts since I was a kid. Dunkin Donuts chocolate donuts are the best! source
Sour Attitudes
Some brand customers irritated over customer service issues, most notably chronic wrong orders and depleted donut supplies, associated their decidedly sober disposition with their negative restaurant experience. While some roiled customers presumed youthful inexperience the cause of communication difficulty with employees, others lashed out citing examples of chronic abysmal customer service, including bad employee attitudes. Long lines, too, are a common complaint.
Dunkin Donuts ruined my morning. Is today a sugar day? Do I look like I need sugar? source
Yes, sorry. My bad.). The weekend Dunkin Donuts teenagers are terrible employees. Not only did they screw up my order by putting sugar in a coffee I asked for no sugar, they slathered on the cream cheese on my bagel in a huge disgusting portion. I asked for chive cream cheese so I could put it on myself. source
I hate Dunkin Donuts!! Um were sorry we donut have any donuts!! or u ask for a plain donut and blk coffee and get a bagel and milk! source
Their donuts are bigger with more filling. The only problem is that there are not enough of them around. Dunkin Donuts has really gone downhill over the years. I avoid them. source
As it did come up in unambiguous terms among some posters, Dunkin' Donuts might want to address taste.
I really hate Dunkin Donuts coffee. Tastes burnt and leaves a terrible taste after it's gone. source
Dunkin Donuts is overrated!!! Sometimes there coffee taste like Alabama mudd!!! source
At least a couple of posters found some levity in the service quality conundrum:
The fact that Dunkin Donuts has terrible Donuts is funny to me. How are you terrible @ your specialty? LMAO #FAIL. source
@ohelvira I like Dunkin Donuts coffee. It's funny to see a guy from Starbuck's go there. source
Insights
- Kudos to Dunkin' Donuts for its smart social ROI practice.
- While tributary in our theme mapping (and not without strong passion), emotional state and mood could be mined in Dunkin' Donuts marketing campaigns to offset the strong negative association found between bad customer service, sour employee attitude and slow service.
- Beware chronic bad customer service, particularly bad employee attitudes, incompetence and slow service. These are a legacy of a 63-year old QSR brand, which doesn't serve customer loyalty requirements and lifestyles today.
- Coffee taste complaints are frequent and unambiguous in contrast to high marks for bean quality and strength. DD has a disconnect to address.
- "Green" packaging was found to include sharp straws and flimsy cups; not a good formula for sustained patronage. Dunkin Donuts may want to address this paradox in updated marketing.
- Great coffee quality could be more heavily exploited in an updated brand image campaign. (We were stuck in the past century mindset equating Dunkin' Donuts to watered down mud!
- Confidence level index-Our social analytics were calculated at a 95% Confidence Level with a +/-6% Confidence Interval.