The history of Dunkin’ began with a restaurant called “Open Kettle” in Massachusetts, in 1948. Founder William Rosenberg served donuts for five cents and premium cups of coffee for ten cents. Rosenberg renamed his restaurant “Dunkin’ Donuts” in 1950, and franchised his brand in 1955. Since 1950, the number of Dunkin’ restaurants has increased to more than 12,600 restaurants worldwide in 46 countries.
With more than 50 varieties of donuts, Dunkin’ once emphasized their donuts in their advertisements. Execs recognized the need to change with the times, and in the late 1990s and early 2000s, decided to pivot their focus to the ever growing coffee industry. While their largest competitor Starbucks focused on connecting with customers in-store, and encouraging them to linger for hours, Dunkin’ focused on great coffee, served fast, for people on the run. We all remember the successful tagline, “America runs on Dunkin’.”
In 2018, “Dunkin’ Donuts” decided it was time to officially rebrand, and drop the word “Donuts” from their brand name. Beginning in January of 2019, Dunkin’ updated their logo, remodeled store fronts, redesigned packaging, and updated their brand messaging across all advertising and marketing channels. They ensured their longtime—as well as new—customers could still identify with the well known brand by staying true to the orange and pink color scheme and iconic typeface that had been part of the company’s identity since 1973. Dunkin’ still serves donuts and great coffee, but the new name offers the flexibility to expand its reach into new demographics and offerings. Dunkin’ is an example of successful rebranding, because it modernizes the experience for customers, while staying true to its roots.
Comical Global Branding Fails
Even the biggest brands can make mistakes when bringing their brand to new markets. A company should always carefully research and identify any cultural differences, or language translations, when expanding their business. You want to catch any possible missteps before they happen. Here are some epic fails for a good laugh. Coca-Cola When first launched…
5 Ways a Well-Built Brand Makes Your Company Money
We all know standing out in a crowded market is essential for success. One way to do that is by creating and maintaining a well-built brand. After all, your brand is more than just a logo and a tagline, it’s the image and perception that customers have of your business. A strong brand sets you…
The Difference Between Graphic Art and Graphic Design
Graphic Art – the fine and applied art of representation, decoration, and writing or printing on flat surfaces together with the techniques and crafts associated with them. Essentially, a graphic artist may create art for the sake of art. They may want to convey a certain idea or story, or they may not. Graphic artists…
How Good Branding Saves Your Company Money
Many businesses make the mistake of throwing money at marketing without thinking enough about their brand, as a whole. Paid media campaigns might garner attention, but they can’t necessarily retain it and convert as many customers without solid branding. A company with a consistent, strong perception amongst audiences will always outperform competitors with the same…
How Decades of Solid Branding Saved Coca-Cola from the Pepsi Challenge
The Pepsi Challenge was a marketing campaign started in 1975. It was simply a blind taste test between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, touting that even Coca-Cola fans choose Pepsi. It was a wildly successful marketing strategy that they revisited for decades. Coca-Cola even ran their own private tastes test, through which they found Pepsi was indeed…
6 Reasons why a Strong Brand is Important for your Small Business
Building a strong brand is a critical component of any successful business. A well-crafted brand strategy not only helps businesses establish recognition and build trust with their customers, but also supports advertising efforts and inspires employees. Furthermore, strong branding can increase a business’s financial value and generate new business opportunities through word-of-mouth referrals. As the…
Why Colors Matter
Choosing the right colors for your brand is a crucial step in building a strong and effective visual identity. While color preference is subjective, certain colors are associated with specific traits or emotions that can influence how your brand is perceived by your target audiences. Understanding color psychology and its impact on branding can help…
10 of the Most Recognized Logos in the World
We’ve compiled a list of the world’s most recognized logos. Yes, many of these logos have gone through some tweaks throughout the years, but for fun, we listed the year the first version of their current logo appeared. Some of these companies have even been around longer than their currently recognizable logo! It just goes…