It's been said that, "America runs on Dunkin'," but until September 2nd, the west coast had been feeling a little left out. Dunkin' Donuts has always done a stand up job of proudly marketing their eye-catching, bright pink and orange colors. When they decided to finally take their donuts to the city of angels, there was certainly no shortage of Dunkin's signature flashy marketing.
When you think about it, this is just another franchise opening. As David Young, writer at the Tonight Show, tweeted, "Hey, people of LA, relax. It's just a Dunkin Donuts." So how did Dunkin' do it? How did they create such a huge buzz around their LA opening- big enough to create a line around the block at 5 am?
They're keeping up the home town pride.
We all know that the Dunkin brand is widely recognized as an east coast entity, but what's great is that it looks like their east coast and west coast branding aren't very different. Though the differences between the coasts are vast, Dunkin' is staying Dunkin' with its bright, fast, electrifying marketing strategy staying true to its heart.
Additionally, they are making a point to celebrate their home town roots while remaining welcoming to their new LA customers. You can see on the @DunkinLA twitter that they're celebrating all their customers, both new and old. Small business owners take note next time you make a big move; never forget where you came from, but keep your arms open to new customers in your new location.
Even waiting in line looks like a good time!
The Dunkin' vibe in general suggests starting your morning off with a party. Dunkin' took one of the most unappealing aspects of a store opening- waiting in line, and turned it into a fun, photographable moment that just added to the experience. By showcasing your customers waiting in line, having a good time, excited to try out your product, you get other people excited to come hurry up and wait in line!
It's a good lesson in taking what may seem like an unappealing facet of trying your brand (waiting in line) and spinning it into a successful marketing strategy.
The dedicated build up.
Though the declaration of DD expanding to the west coast has been in the works for quite some time, Dunkin' did a great job of keeping their customers updated throughout the process. On their blog "Behind the Beans," they updated readers on expected construction dates and how they were even ahead of schedule!
If you're going to make a big move with your business- whether changing locations or introducing the next big product, keeping your customers updated is going to produce better results than if you keep the ordeal a secret. Not only do customers like to plan - if you change their routine by switching locations without an announcement you may very well lose them - but they also like to feel kept in the loop. If you include your customers when talking about plans, like Dunkin' did with their construction updates, they'll feel like a part of the team and remain excited to grow and change with the company.