Dunkin’ Donuts is world famous for its freshly brewed coffee and wide selection of food offerings but, surprisingly, it had no presence in the Bay Area. In 2016, the brand was planning to open a series of restaurants in the Bay Area and wanted to generate widespread excitement and buzz for its Northern California debut. Fineman PR continues to promote Dunkin’ as it expands further in Northern California.
Our Approach
- Promote the grand opening of each new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in the Bay Area
- Introduce Dunkin’ Donuts to Bay Area residents, influencers and local media
- Position each restaurant as a partner to the community it serves
- Organized grand opening events with ribbon-cutting ceremonies featuring mayors, city council members, and local dignitaries to welcome the brand to each community. Grand openings also included check presentations with a donation to a local nonprofit, giveaways for attendees, music, and an appearance by Dunkin’s mascot, Cuppy.
- Managed Dunkin’ Donuts’ Northern California social media presence across Facebook and Twitter, sharing updates on new openings, menu items, and programs to help spread the word and engage with locals.
- Maintained buzz year-round through pitching and promoting national initiatives, including Free Donut Friday, Freeze the Day with $1K, National Coffee Day and, of course, National Donut Day.
WHAT WE ACHIEVED
- Managed nine plus grand opening events all of which have been welcomed with long lines of fans.
- Events have garnered more than tens of millions of impressions from top Bay Area media: local TV and radio stations (e.g., KTVU, KPIX, KCBS, KGO); online outlets (e.g., SF Chronicle, East Bay Times, EaterSF, 7×7) and posts by regional social media influencers. We continue to work with Dunkin’ Donuts as they expand their presence across Northern California.