This Spider Donut Is Out Of Pocket

Dunkin' Donuts (rebranded to just Dunkin' in 2018,) has a history of blending unconventional marketing with popular culture to uphold its brand. From political controversies to celebrity collaborations, Dunkin’ has seemingly mastered maintaining its digital presence. Enter the latest campaign: a suggestive Spider Donut that is sparking mixed reactions. This polarizing campaign has quickly gone viral, leaving people debating whether it's marketing brilliance or an example of a brand doing too much. And as much as I want to hate it, it’s actually brilliant.

Low-Cost Cultural Relevance

In the naturally fast-paced social media environment, catching and retaining viewer attention is often the primary objective. Dunkin' is attempting to crack this code with this Spider Donut campaign. The ad itself features the purple-iced donut with a chocolate donut hole and chocolate icing accents to simulate a spider. Innocent enough.

The main topic of the conversation is the captions. Dunkin's team did, for better or worse, an extraordinary job at personifying this spider-shaped donut. The approach is simple, easy to make content for, and incredibly effective at generating conversation. Unlike massive celebrity endorsements or high-budget commercials, this campaign leverages the internet's love for quirky meme content. There's even a line of Spider Donut merchandise (a perfect example of doubling down by bolstering a viral campaign with something people can spend more money on).

It's when Dunkin' went a step further, by flirting with the line between humor and suggestiveness, that some classic internet outrage arrives and gives the ad even more staying power. This nudge into more provocative territory fuels discussions online and magnifies the campaign’s reach. If the goal is to get people talking, then the goal has been achieved.

Does the Virality Drive Sales?

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Virality doesn’t always translate into measurable outcomes, but it does guarantee exposure. Viral marketing effects are hard to measure, as can be difficult to attribute a given sale to any one post or campaign. With Dunkin's Spider Donut, the brand might bank on increased perception from people sharing or talking about the campaign online, thus driving them into their local Dunkin'. Traditional metrics of success will need time to surface, but the strategy ensures that Dunkin' stays top of mind during the Halloween season. This simple, playful, and somehow controversial campaign offers a low-risk way to generate lots of buzz online, which is exactly what most major brands online are banking on to draw in new business.

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Relatable Marketing or Trying Too Hard?

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Dunkin' is far from the only brand using humor to bridge the gap between corporate messaging and consumer engagement. Meme marketing has become the go-to strategy for many brands to connect with younger, internet-savvy audiences. Wendy's social media team is definitely on the Mt. Rushmore of this type of behavior. To Dunkin's credit, or maybe to their detriment depending on your opinion, The Spider Donut campaign fits neatly within this common online trend. It’s fun and taps into social media’s love for the absurd.

However, some of the cultural responses to corporate humor are becoming more skeptical. The common "silence, brand" sentiment perfectly encapsulates some people's response to viral campaigns like this one. In most circumstances, viral marketing also only provides a limited window of relevance. After the initial buzz fades, there’s no guarantee the brand will retain engagement from new followers or customers. If Dunkin' only offers superficial humor without reinforcing its core brand values—quality, convenience, taste, and affordability—the campaign may feel like a one-off joke, quickly forgotten.

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Public Reactions: Love It or Hate It, They're Engaged

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As with many new and noteworthy ads now, reactions to the Spider Donut campaign have been mixed. A casual scroll through social media shows a blend of entertainment, confusion, and discomfort. Memes and tweets featuring the donut have exploded, with some users finding it hilarious and others labeling it unnecessary. Marketers have also chimed in, with some praising Dunkin' for capitalizing on Gen-Z culture, while others question if this messaging dilutes or potentially damages the brand's identity.

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Interestingly, the campaign has generated a substantial amount of positive engagement. According to Hootsuite's Brand Sentiment Analyzer, "the overall sentiment surrounding Spider Donut Dunkin' is enthusiastic and approving". Even those criticizing the campaign are participating in the conversation, amplifying its reach. From a purely engagement standpoint, the campaign is a win—Dunkin' is receiving free advertising through user-generated content and discussion. The question that remains, however, is whether that engagement will translate into sustained interest or sales growth.

Conclusion: Was It Worth It? Definitely

Ultimately, the Spider Donut campaign might not have been necessary for Dunkin’ to maintain relevance through the fall season. Love it or hate it, people are talking about Dunkin' more—and in the crowded digital ecosystem, that's no small feat. Overall, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives.

The buzz generated by this campaign ensures that at least some customers are reminded that they can try the latest meme donut the next time they get the chance. It's also pretty unlikely that any small-scale controversy this campaign generates will dissuade anyone who was already a regular customer from visiting. Dunkin' truly has nothing to lose by pursuing the Spider Donut campaign as far as it will go. The next question becomes what Dunkin' has in store for marketing its future seasonal donuts.

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Sources:

Donaldson, Ali. “Move over, Duolingo. Dunkin’ Is the New Chaotic Social Media Power Player.” Inc., 24 Oct. 2024, www.inc.com/ali-donaldson/move-over-duolingo-dunkin-is-the-new-chaotic-social-media-power-player/90994433.

Frau, Lucas. “Why Are People Boycotting Dunkin’ Donuts? Here’s What We Know.” North Jersey Media Group, NorthJersey.com, 13 Aug. 2024, www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2024/08/13/why-people-boycotting-dunkin-donuts-reason/74769947007/.

Lamour, Joseph. “Dunkin’s Spider Donut Is the Internet’s Newest ‘Diva.’” TODAY.Com, TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024, www.today.com/food/trends/dunkin-spider-donut-rcna177331.

Rodrigues, Calvin. “Dunkin Donuts Marketing Strategy: A Deep Dive.” EngageBay, 2 Sept. 2024, www.engagebay.com/blog/dunkin-donuts-marketing-strategy.

Wilson, Mark. “Dunkin’s Horny Halloween Donut Wants to Have Sex with Literally Everyone.” Fast Company, 24 Oct. 2024, www.fastcompany.com/91216344/dunkin-spider-donut.

“‘the Charli’ Dances onto the Dunkin’ Menu.” Dunkin’ Newsroom, 2 Sept. 2020, news.dunkindonuts.com/news/the-charli-dances-onto-the-dunkin-menu.

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