Behind the Rebrand: How Dunkin' Retooled Its Marketing to Become a Beverage-First Company

The coffee chain formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts surprised consumers last September when it dropped ‘Donuts’ from its name, becoming simply Dunkin’. After introducing the change with a tongue-in-cheek campaign—proclaiming it was on a “first-name basis” with consumers—the brand rolled out new packaging this past January to reflect its shortened name. To understand what it takes for a behemoth like Dunkin’, which has over 12,800 locations worldwide, to undergo a makeover of its visual identity, restaurants, packaging, name and more, Adweek got an exclusive look inside the process.