Dive Brief:
- Dunkin’ has teamed with rapper Ice Spice and extended its partnership with Ben Affleck for an ad promoting its new beverage, the Ice Spice Munchkins Drink, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The limited-run fall menu offering blends the chain’s Pumpkin Munchkins Donut Hole Treats into its Frozen Coffee.
- The 30-second spot features Affleck and Ice Spice brainstorming a trendy new drink name, to which Ice Spice suggests pulling inspiration from her fan base — known as “munchkins” — as the solution. The commercial debuted at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
- Similar to past ads featuring Affleck, the latest spot was conceived, directed and produced through Artists Equity, the production house he co-founded with Matt Damon. The move arrives as Dunkin’ continues to pursue an elevated brand messaging strategy.
Dive Insight:
With fall just around the corner, Dunkin’ is again calling on Affleck, this time to market its new seasonal offering alongside rapper Ice Spice. The creative, which premiered around the VMAs, brings additional star power that could help the chain tap into popular culture.
The Ice Spice Munchkins Drink is made by blending together pieces of the chain’s Pumpkin Munchkins Donut Hole Treats with its signature Frozen Coffee and is topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. The offering marks the first time the chain has combined a bakery item with one of its drinks and is marketed toward consumers “eager to embrace the pumpkin wave ahead of schedule,” per the release.
The 30-second spot opens with Affleck assuring that things at Dunkin’ have been going well since his promotion to brand ambassador as he walks, coffee in hand, to meet with Ice Spice. Together, the two begin brainstorming a name for the chain’s new drink, with Affleck emphasizing that such a task is no easy feat in the age of social media, adding that the two will need to think of something authentic. Quickly, Ice Spice pitches the Ice Spice Munchkins Drink — a dual play on the name of her fan base and the chain’s doughnut treat — to which Affleck attempts to add extra flair, to no avail.
The latest ad marks the first work between Dunkin’ and production house Artists Equity since formalizing their partnership after the duo’s initial collaboration around the 2023 Super Bowl, meaning that Artists Equity is now an official member of the group of agencies Dunkin’ works with. The Super Bowl spot starring Affleck has been well received, ranking highly on ad meters. While the actor has just this year made his official appearance for Dunkin’, he has often been tied to the chain in popular culture thanks to photos captured by paparazzi and memes.
In addition to a strengthened tie-up with Affleck, Dunkin’s latest spot was made with help from a new director, Beedy. The Inspire Brands-owned company has been working on a more focused messaging strategy under CMO Jill McVicar Nelson, who has promoted a “fewer, bigger, better” ethos for the brand’s marketing.
The Ice Spice Munchkins Drink will be available nationwide beginning Sept. 13 through the end of October and adds to Dunkin’s recently released fall drink menu. Dunkin’ joins a slew of others who have begun rolling out fall drinks ahead of the season’s official kick-off, with others, like Tim Hortons and Starbucks, having also already debuted seasonal offerings.
