Strategic Audience Analysis
Since the global COVID-19 pandemic shut down nearly all walks of life in 2020, more people have relied on social media not only to stay in contact with those closest to them, but also as a source of information. Some brands took advantage of this unusual reality by using social media to build their brands and attract new consumers. Dunkin' Donuts was the first of the major coffee retailers to embrace social media during the pandemic, and as a result, created a dominant web presence that rivals even global conglomerates like Starbucks. This blog will examine Dunkin’s social media presence, and identify a target audience from that information.
According to information obtained through Sparktoro, around 51 percent of men make up the bulk of millennial and Gen-Z coffee drinkers, nearly an even split. Customers between the ages of 26 and 35 make up the widest margin, with nearly 41% purchasing coffee products. Even though TikTok ranks fifth in usage among these customers, it is well above the national average. Millennial and Gen-Z customers view TikTok around 13% more than the national average. Dunkin' Donuts' 56% bounce rate is relatively competitive compared to, for instance, Starbucks, which has a higher bounce rate of around 68.16%, suggesting Dunkin' provides more relevant, engaging content for users who arrive via social media or search.
According to Henry Chapman of Infegy, an AI-powered social listening company located in Kansas City, Dunkin’ began creating a TikTok presence in 2020, as the platform began rapidly gaining popularity amongst its Gen Z target demographic, becoming the first breakfast coffee chain to get into TikTok. This move mirrored their proactive stance on Instagram, where Dunkin’ was one of the first brands to take advantage of advertising on the social media network.
In 2021, Dunkin’s TitTok presence exploded when it partnered with influencer Charli D’Amelio. This collaboration led to the creation of “The Charli,” a cold caramel brew that resulted in massive sales, and led to a line of merchandise.
“Our fans can’t get enough of the genuine love between Charli and Dunkin’, so creating the Charli x Dunkin’ merch collection felt like the perfect next step in our relationship. This collection is our way of sprinkling more Charli and Dunkin’ love onto our fans,” Kemma Kefalas, brand engagement anager at Dunkin’ told Medium in 2022. “We worked hand in hand with Charli to bring her signature look into each accessory so our fans can sip their Charli Cold Foam in style this spring.”
Through this information, the target audience should be women between the ages of 26 to 35 making about $40,000 per year. This group heavily follows Instagram and TikTok, which are Dunkin’s leading social media channels.
Since Dunkin’s TikTok presence has dominated the other coffee brands, it should continue providing content as fresh as its coffee.
