Dunkin’ was squeezed between Starbucks and McDonalds. They had doubled down on product experimentation, but the strategy hadn’t translated to sustained growth. Forgettable ads were forgotten, and traffic was on an 8 year decline.

Dunkin’ had to steal attention—and sales—from their competitors. To do that, they had to make a seismic impact on culture.

We built a Hollywood-style Cinematic Universe with multiple chapters, crazy characters, and a depth of content so entertaining, people sought it out on their own. And along the way, we built a real fandom.

While Dunkin’ is a national brand, its soul is found where it all began: Boston.

Boston has a character all its own, and it’s proud. It produced cultural touchstones like Cheers, The Departed, and dominant global sports brands like the Red Sox (MLB) and the Celtics (NBA). The accent is a beloved American icon.

Famous Bostonians are as proud of their Boston heritage as anyone. For some figures, Boston becomes a part of their public persona.

Such is the case for Ben Affleck. Ben’s global stardom has been rooted in his Boston upbringing since his breakout performance in Good Will Hunting, and he’s one of America’s true A-listers. He’s a two-time Oscar winner, a renowned performer and director, and he’s married to fellow A-lister Jennifer Lopez.

He’s been photographed carrying Dunkin’ since the 90s. Known for his meme-inducing moments of ennui, a 2020 paparazzi photo captured the actor struggling to carry a large Dunkin’ order, prompting fans online to share widely, dubbing it a quintessential “Boston moment” and Ben a “relatable king.”

Ben and Dunkin’ shared the same Boston qualities: relatability, blunt honesty, enthusiasm, and a willingness to enjoy a joke, even if it may be at they’re own expense.

SB ’23: Shot in gritty verité style, Ben Affleck as a drive thru attendant surprises real MA customers. Hidden cameras capture authentic reactions, as Ben improvises comedic responses, setting up the final joke with Jennifer Lopez.

MTV Video Music Awards: Ben announces promotion as Dunkin’s new Brand Ambassador. He’s questing for new product ideas and meets with 2023’s hot new rap talent, Ice Spice. Cross-generational miscommunication ensues. Ice Spice interjects that her fans were already called Munchkins. New product launches.

GRAMMYs Teaser (1 week before Super Bowl ’24): After Ben’s promotion, he’s preparing for an even bigger (musical?) impact. Charli D’Amelio is his dance coach. Young rap talent Jack Harlow tries to dissuade him. To Be Continued cliffhanger. Two more social teasers drop before SB ’24.

DunKings SB ’24: Cultural characters converge as Ben’s big brand project The DunKings is revealed. JLo underwhelmed, Matt Damon chagrined, and Ben is triumphant.

Dunkin’s advertising was on a marketing treadmill, messaging around constant menu updates. To no end—traffic was declining. And that traffic was going to Starbucks and McDonalds.

Dunkin’ did own traffic and attention in their historic home in the Northeast. 47% of adults in Boston order Dunkin’ at least once a month, and brand love is sky high.

But regional success hadn’t translated to national success. They were too reliant on their core loyalists: 43% of Dunkin’s total sales came from the Northeast, a region representing only 10% of the US population.

The challenge was extending that dominance to the rest of the country. Dunkin’ needed to raise their profile and drive awareness, positive sentiment, and, ultimately, sales.

Dunkin’ had to launch themselves over the heads of their competitors in the public conversation. And that meant creating an undeniable cultural moment that would put Dunkin’ on everyone’s radar.

All in, the Dunkin’ Cinematic Universe broke records.

Drive Thru stunned with 16B earned impressions, +800% lift in social conversation post Super Bowl (most of any advertiser), and was #1 on YouTube’s Super Bowl player. Beyond the attention, Dunkin’ had their highest-ever single day sales (in +70 years!).

Then in September, during the MTV Video Music Awards, the launch of the Ice Spice Munchkins Drink gained 12.8B earned impressions and 1729 earned media placements.

Finally, surpassing all expectations, the latest installment “The DunKings” earned 40.4B impressions, had 96% positive sentiment, and sold out merch in 19 minutes.

When we look back at the year of Dunkin’ + Ben, we see:

69.1 Billion Earned Impressions

+14pts brand awareness pre- to post campaign

+11pts consideration pre- to post campaign

+10.7% in sales pre- to post campaign

+20% in new visitors compared to previous two years

2 record-setting sales days

We made Ben Affleck, Boston boy and Dunkin’s biggest fan, the face of the brand—leveraging Dunkin’s regional character with a nationally known star.

In early 2023, we enlisted him to work at a real Dunkin’ drive thru, featuring actual customers. The setting was intentionally, approachably American—a grey suburban neighborhood, and real Boston accents.

Then, during the very American “pumpkin spice” season, we promoted Ben to brand ambassador, teaming him with rapper Ice Spice for a custom drink.

Finally, on the greatest night for American advertising, Super Bowl 2024, we dropped our biggest surprise yet. Our spot launched Ben’s new jumpsuit-clad, star-studded “man-boy band”, The DunKings. The jokes were deeply informed by 90s American culture, from the sound of their original track, to the aesthetic of boy bands like *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

We built a campaign responsive to and steeped in American pop culture, because America Runs on Dunkin’.