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

Coffee chain plans long-term rollout

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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.

Though it’s Dunkin’s seventh redesign, it’s the first comprehensive name change since 1950 when founder William Rosenberg made the switch from Open Kettle to Dunkin’ Donuts.

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This story first appeared in the April 15, 2019, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.