Marketing Restaurant Online

I have to admit that I admire how Dunkin Donut does their marketing so effectively bringing the humanly feelings side of marketing despite the fact that it is a big corporate. Big Corporate for me in most cases is not associated with relationship building.They are still hung up on old industrial age mass media marketing.

When I watched the video, there were couple of things that I liked about it that is worth mentioning.McCall Gosselin, Communications Manager of Dunkin Donut understands the relationship marketing and has integrated that aspect in the video marketing campaign. First of all it is not some sort of cheesy ad that your eyes ball are accustomed to which you desperately want to flip the channel. Though the video is to promote their Dunkin Donut brand, they are not doing it  like some of the other restaurant brand does like say “hey we have the best steak, come and try us.” In my opinion no body cares about the best steak. All people cares is if it solves their problem. So the video is going with that approach to begin with. Instead of saying we have the best coffee than Starbucks or McDonald’s, they are saying ” Hey customers we understand that economy is hurting you, so as a gesture of your loyalty for the good times, we want to extend our hand by giving you Free train ride and also a chance to win Free train ride and Free Coffee for the whole year of 2009. There are four aspects in this video marketing that resonates with the loyal customers . They are as follows:

1. Relationship Building- Engaging with them
2. Sense of Caring - Giving away a free one year train ride and Coffee
3. Entertaining - By bringing in Peter Ostrum-”Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” Actor
4. Inspiring people even during the Low times

• Relationship Building- Engaging with them-Dunkin Donut marketing team has gone to the Boston’s South station where their  customers are. That is the place where every morning all of their customers commute sometimes with a cup of Dunkin Donut coffee in their hand. They go right there and engage them by educating them about the Free train ride and Free coffee for the whole year of 2009 and also giving away free train rides right then and there. They are talking to the customers building a rapport and relationship.

• Sense of Caring - Giving away a free one year train ride and Coffee - The fact that they are giving away the free train ride right then and there and also a chance to win Free train ride and Free coffee for the whole year of 2009, shows that Dunkin Donut do care about their customers even during the bad times. It is a gesture of extending hand for the loyalty that they showed to Dunkin Donut during the good times. I think this is the most powerful marketing than the short lived multi million dollar Super Bowl Ad on the television.

• Entertaining - By bringing in Peter Ostrum of the 1971 film “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory”. Dunkin Donut is entertaining its customers by providing an opportunity to interact with Peter Ostrum and re kindle their old memory and at the same time bringing fun and joy even during the bad economic times. It is a small thing but it does matter. The customers were delighted to receive Charlie cards and ” Gold en Ticket”. How cool is that to see in person and receive from Peter Ostrum who you have admired from your child hood.

• Inspiring people even during the Low times- It is also inspiring for the people to see that Dunkin Donut is on their side even during the low times. The fact that their campaign says “You Kin’ Do It” stresses that they support their  customers  be it good time or bad time.  The other message that I feel that they are giving is that despite the Economic Down-turn, keep your heads up, strive to succeed, be creative and you will find your way. That’s why Dunkin Donut says, “You Kin’ Do It”