Dunkin' Names Jill McVicar Nelson to Chief Marketing Officer

Dunkin' has promoted from within to fill its top marketing job. Jill McVicar Nelson was most recently vp of Dunkin's marketing strategy, overseeing brand marketing, promotional strategy and product commercialization. Now, she's been named the QSR's new chief marketing officer. Nelson took charge of the brand’s initiatives to reach younger consumers. That plan placed special emphasis on iced beverages, which has become a major trend at all coffee chains. For example, last month, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz told analysts during the brand's Q3 earnings call that cold beverages now account for roughly 75% of its total beverage sales in U.S. company-operated stores. Elsewhere, Nelson put her stamp on Dunkin's evolution by adding a wider range of menu options such as Dunkin’ Refreshers, cold brew with cold foam, avocado toast and various snacks. The brand has 3.1 million followers on TikTok. Dunkin' and Nelson saw success on a campaign with TikTok influencer Charlie D'Amelio promoting the sweet cold foam drink. "Since the day I started at Dunkin' more than 10 years ago, I have experienced just how special this great American brand is," Nelson said in a statement. "From the devoted loyalists who drink our coffee every day to the hardworking franchisees who built this brand from the ground up, there is something undeniable about people's love for Dunkin'. I am one of those people and am honored to lead the talented Dunkin' marketing team." The CMO role was most recently held by Rafael Acevedo, who left in March. Acevedo was named CMO by the brand in June 2021 after more than a decade at the Coca-Cola Company. He departed Dunkin' after just nine months to pursue other opportunities. During his time there, the brand named Anomaly its creative agency of record. After searching externally for its CMO hire in 2021, Dunkin' looked internally this time. "Jill's intricate knowledge of the Dunkin' business and understanding of product trends and consumer behaviors will help us continue to define the brand's future growth strategy," said Scott Murphy, president and head of beverage-snack category at Dunkin'. "I look forward to working together to define the next chapter in Dunkin' history." Nelson will report directly to Murphy. Blueprint for Growth Nelson joined Dunkin' in 2011 in business analytics and has been with the brand in various functions including finance, pricing, strategy and marketing. She was an instrumental part of the brand's Blueprint for Growth, a three-year strategic plan announced in 2018 to grow revenue and operating income while launching new locations. Despite initially identifying the plan as a three-year strategic initiative, Dunkin' has kept up with the growth strategy for five years. Nelson's promotion is positioned as a key ingredient in what is now labeled as a five-year program. The brand has gone through several other major changes in that time period, the most notable being the decision to drop "Donuts" from its name in 2018 before embarking on a rebrand the following year. Dunkin' was acquired by Inspire brands in 2020. Earlier this year, Dunkin' saw visit increases of 21.5% and 24.8% YoY in January and February respectively according to data Placer.ai shared with Adweek. Since then, the brand has experienced steep decreases every month leading up to now. Most recently, the QSR saw a 13.7% YoY drop in visits last month. Earlier this year, Inspire Brands reported more than $30 billion in 2021 total global system sales thanks to each brand in its portfolio reaching record growth. Inspire Brands reported 15.5% U.S. same-store sales growth at Dunkin' YoY. Whalar Is Elevating the Next Generation of Creators

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Dunkin' Elevates Jill McVicar Nelson to Chief Marketing Officer

The company veteran distinguished herself with an early push into cold drinks

Rafael Canton

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Rafael Canton