Convenience store chain Cumberland Farms was stoked enough on the flavor of its coffee to challenge fans of competitor Dunkin’ Donuts to a taste test, and they were rather pleased with the results. The independent double blind test revealed that half of Dunkin’ Donuts drinkers either preferred the taste of Cumberland Farms’ Farmhouse Blend over Dunkin Donut’s Original Blend or showed no preference. “We couldn’t be happier with the results and feedback from this taste test, and it proves our longtime belief that you don’t need to sacrifice great taste to get an affordable cup of coffee,” said Cumberland Farms CEO Ari Haseotes in a statement. “We provide a tremendous value for consumers with our 99-cent Farmhouse Blend coffee, and we’re glad that the results of the taste test determined that it tastes just as good as our key competitor’s coffee does.”
To share the results of the test, Cumberland Farms teamed up with Boston-based advertising agency Full Contact. Full Contact created a campaign around a 30-second broadcast spot sharing voices from real study participants who were surprised to discover how much they appreciated Cumberland Farms Farmouse Blend. The ad marks a departure from the more humor-centric approach Full Contact has taken in advertising Cumberland Farms’ coffee in the past, as shown in the “Moving Day” spot this past summer and the agency’s previous work with David Hasselhoff. “The Cumberland Farms Taste Test” trades the humor for a straightforward, even old-fashioned, approach — with a direct focus on Dunkin’ Donuts drinkers who may find a better value at Cumberland Farms. In addition the the broadcast spot, the campaign is supported by radio and OOH components.
Credits:
Client:
Gwen Forman – VP of Marketing
David Heilbronner – Sr. Manager, Brand Strategy
Greg Lorance – Sr. Category Manager
Agency:
Marty Donohue – Partner/Creative Director
Tim Foley – Partner/Creative Director
Chris Milne – Copywriter
Kevin Barlow – Art Director
Lauren Kimball – Director of Account Management
Dan Gross – Management Supervisor
Carron Pedonti – Producer
Caroline Aylward – Assistant Producer
Research:
Jane Thurston – Burke Institute
Production – Redtree
Eric D’Amario – Executive Producer
Nathan Swingle – Director of Photography
Rob Vater – Production Manager
Editorial – Peel & Eat
Nikki McMorrow – Executive Producer
Joel Walker – Editor