1. The
DONUT
DUEL
Dunkin' Donuts Krispy Kreme
A Social Media Marketing Analysis
Mary McPartlan
October 19, 2016
Winston-Salem, NC 27102
1-800-457-4779
KKGuest@krispykreme.com
https://www.krispykreme.com/
Canton, MA 02021
1-800-859-5339
customerservice@dunkinbrands.com
https://www.dunkindonuts.com/
3. MARKET OVERVIEW
Doughnut Store Industry
Whether you spell it doughnut or donut, a doughnut is a donut. For the sake of consistency
- and to remove any bias towards Dunkin' Donuts - I will be referring to all fried rings of
delicious dough as doughnuts. According to the latest IBIS World Report, Dunkin' Brands
and Krispy Kreme dominate the doughnut store industry, at 61.1% and 4.9% of market
share, respectively (Alvarez, 2016). As seen from the figure below, this multi-billion
dollar industry houses over 7,000 businesses, indicating the importance of maintaining a
competitive advantage over other businesses in the industry (Alvarez, 2016). Despite the
industry title of ‘doughnut stores’, over 50% of sales at doughnut stores come from
products other than doughnuts (Alvarez, 2016). This means that these companies are
constantly expanding and adapting to consumer behavior by introducing new products and
offerings. In order to maintain their success, these brands must reach their target market
through various channels, especially social media. Throughout this paper, I will walk
through the various social media platforms that Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme utilize
and evaluate their overall effectiveness on each platform.
3
4. BRAND INTRODUCTION
Dunkin' Donuts v. Krispy Kreme
Originating in Quincy, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts expanded from a single doughnut shop to a
multi-million dollar company providing 11,300 restaurants worldwide ("Company Snapshot," 2016).
Dunkin' Donuts is referred to as more than just a doughnut shop, as majority of sales come from
beverages, while doughnuts account for only 15-20% of store sales (Alvarez, 2016). Dunkin' Donuts
has become one of the largest coffees and baked goods chains in the world. However, Dunkin'
Donuts is actually a subsidiary of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc, a leading franchisor of quick service
restaurants, whose business model includes both Dunkin' Donuts restaurants and Baskin Robbins
restaurants ("About Us," 2014).
Krispy Kreme has a bit more of an interesting origin story, as it was not originally intended to be a
business to consumer doughnut shop. In 1937, Vernon Rudolph bought a secret yeast-raised
doughnut recipe from a New Orleans French chef ("Our Story," 2016). He then rented a building in
Winston-Salem, NC to sell Krispy Kreme doughnuts to local grocery stores, but the overpowering
scent of doughnut production led people to stop and ask if they could buy fresh, hot doughnuts
("Our Story," 2016). Rudolph cut a hole in the wall of his building and sold hot doughnuts directly
to people on the sidewalk ("Our Story," 2016). Since then, Krispy Kreme has become the leading
branded retailer and wholesaler of doughnuts and packaged sweets (Alvarez, 2016). For Krispy
Kreme, doughnuts account for 88% of sales, while beverages account for just over 10%, a near
opposite revenue structure from Dunkin' Donuts (Alvarez, 2016).
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5. SOCIAL MENTION
Dunkin' Donuts v. Krispy Kreme
Before diving into a breakdown of individual social platforms, it’s important to gain an overall
understanding of the sentiment that consumers have about the brands. To do this, I used Social
Mention to analyze the strength, sentiment, passion, and reach of user-generated content around the
brands. Strength is a simple measurement indicating the likelihood that the brand is being mentioned
in social media, while sentiment is the ratio of generally positive mentions to generally negative
mentions. Passion measures the likelihood that people will talk about the brand repeatedly, which
provides insight into the loyalty that consumers have towards the brand. Finally, reach measures the
overall range of influence the brand has, providing information on the number of unique individuals
who are talking about the brand. The following metrics included are based on the
average Social Mention scores over the course of 5 weeks.
strength sentiment passion reach
5
6. Dunkin' Donuts has strong, consistent metrics across the board.
Not only are people talking about the brand positively, but they are
also doing so frequently. On average, Dunkin' Donuts is
mentioned once every minute, which is an astonishing rate. They
have built their social media presence to foster continuous,
positive customer engagement. At one point, the Dunkin' Donuts
sentiment ratio was 16:0, indicating there were zero negative
remarks about the brand at that time. Additionally, a 49% average
passion metric shows that consumers are willing to talk positively
about Dunkin' Donuts more than just once. Generating passion
around a brand is instrumental in cultivating long-term
relationships and loyal followers. Dunkin' Donuts had few metric
variations throughout the 5 week period.
Krispy Kreme heavily promoted “Pirate Day” where if you dress
like a pirate, you will receive 12 free original glazed doughnuts
and if you talk like a pirate, you will receive 1 free original glazed
doughnut. Knowing that this would be a big day for Krispy
Kreme, I recorded their Social Mention data the day after this
event. The data for this day showed strong social sentiment, at a
5:1 ratio, and 64% strength. These metrics highlight social
performance on one of Krispy Kreme's most successful days.
Krispy Kreme has a higher average reach than Dunkin' Donuts, at
42%, indicating they are reaching a variety of customers on a
regular basis. Krispy Kreme experienced a lot of changes in their
metrics across the 5 week period, as overall strength was recorded
at a low of 2% and passion at an even lower 0%. This is bad news
for Krispy Kreme, as consumers are not always willing to mention
Krispy Kreme positivity. In fact, sometimes they barely mention
Krispy Kreme at all. On average, Krispy Kreme is mentioned
once every 6 hours.
64%
49% 37%
6:1
43%
18% 42%
3:1
6
7. SOCIAL MENTION
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
Despite being in the industry for longer, Krispy Kreme falls short on overall social
mention, allowing Dunkin' Donuts to take the lead on this one. Even on one of
Krispy Kreme’s most successful day, Dunkin' Donuts still had them beat on
passion and nearly matched Krispy Kreme on strength and sentiment. The
sentiment analysis provided by Social Mention indicates that Dunkin' Donuts is
doing a great job in generating positive engagement on their social platforms.
Social media marketing is about developing a two-way conversation and involving
the consumer, something Dunkin' Donuts has demonstrated they are fully capable
of doing.
7
8. FACEBOOK
Dunkin' Donuts
It’s clear that Dunkin' Donuts is catering towards
millennials, with their heavy use of video content,
Vine celebrity endorsement, and Snapchat promotions.
In fact, of all age groups in the US, millennials are the
most active video viewers (Osbon, n.d.). While
doughnuts may be for all ages, Dunkin' Donuts is
utilizing Facebook to promote content that is relatable
to younger demographics. Dunkin' Donuts
occasionally interacts with their customers through
comments, but it does not appear to be a regular
occurrence. The content posted is quality, branded
content that their graphic team would create, rather
than user-generated content. The images and videos
posted do not resonate as being product pushy. Instead,
the posts tell a story and have an appealing artsy feel to
them. This subtle marketing tactic allows the product
to be a piece of the puzzle, rather than the main focus.
13,967,447
1,957,030
53,348
followers
check-ins
people talking
8
10. FACEBOOK
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme utilizes Facebook as a way to heavily
promote their product. Majority of posts relate to doughnut
specials, featured doughnuts, and any other product specific
content. This is where you go if you are looking for product
images or information on upcoming promotions. They use
both their own content and user-generated content to fill
their feed with coffee and doughnuts. Krispy Kreme also
makes the effort to repost content from location specific
Krispy Kreme pages, asking questions in the captions in
order to evoke a user response. Krispy Kreme is consistent
in their postings, providing content daily and sometimes
more than once per day. Their Facebook posting content
and frequency indicates that Krispy Kreme has a strategy in
place with the goal of encouraging followers to comment
and share. Krispy Kreme clearly values their relationship
with consumers, as seen through their practice of crediting
user content, tagging users, and quickly responding. Krispy
Kreme typically provides a personalized response to
Facebook comments within 1 day.
followers
check-ins
people talking
5,313,552
1,203,301
49,952
10
12. FACEBOOK
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
Facebook is all about having a conversation with customers and Krispy Kreme
does a great job of this. They are constantly using reposted content, questions in
captions, and personalized comments to make the customer feel involved. Krispy
Kreme does not just make noise on this platform, they take a step back and listen to
what people have to say, which makes followers feel valued. Despite having
significantly fewer followers than Dunkin' Donuts, Krispy Kreme has nearly as
many people talking about the brand and checking in, meaning they are effectively
producing engagement and conversation.
12
13. TWITTER
Dunkin' Donuts
followers
following
likes
1.11 M
57.9 K
6,241
While Dunkin' Donuts uses Facebook to focus on the
product, they use Twitter to focus on their customers.
Their account is filled with retweeted content from users
who have tagged Dunkin' Donuts in their personal tweets.
Additionally, Dunkin' Donuts prioritizes consumer
engagement, as demonstrated by the numerous @ replies
they take the time to make to specific users. Dunkin'
Donuts utilizes Twitter to its full capacity by providing
Twitter polls to its followers as a quick and easy way to
engage. It's important to note that Dunkin' Donuts doesn’t
just copy what they post on Facebook. While some of
their content is similar, they also work to provide new
content to promote on this platform, providing users an
incentive to follow both accounts, as each provides
original material.
tweets
59.4 K
13
15. TWITTER
Krispy Kreme
followers
following
likes
267 K
14.2 K
33.4 K
While Krispy Kreme uses Facebook to promote user-
generated content, they use Twitter to focus on their own
marketing content. Posts include quality, branded
pictures and promotions. However, they certainly do not
neglect their followers, as they still retweet user content.
Krispy Kreme does not appear to respond directly to as
many users as Dunkin' Donuts, which may be due to
users not mentioning them in the first place. This would
not be surprising given the lower Social Mention scores.
Krispy Kreme was highly active on Twitter for National
Coffee Day, September 29, where they hosted a trivia
game throughout the day. The Krispy Kreme Twitter
account posted coffee related questions and the first
correct answer with #NCDKK won a small prize. This is
a great way to encourage engagement and proved
successful, as these tweets had a large number of replies,
far more than an average Krispy Kreme tweet.
tweets
32.1 K
15
17. TWITTER
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
Krispy Kreme takes the win on Twitter, in large part due to their creative
utilization of the platform in engaging customers. Their all day trivia game was an
innovative way of manipulating the platform to provide value to both themselves
and to the customers. Followers were able to play a game and potentially win a
prize, while Krispy Kreme was able to gain engagement and mentions to increase
brand reach. Despite having a lower following than Dunkin' Donuts, Krispy Kreme
engagement remains relatively high. In fact, when comparing Twitter interactions
(retweets/favorites) to number of followers, Krispy Kreme actually had a higher
engagement rate in some cases. Additionally, Krispy Kreme makes the effort to
'like' user content. Dunkin' Donuts has liked just over 6,000 tweets, while Krispy
Kreme has liked over 33,400 tweets. A little goes a long way with consumers and
this touch point contributes heavily to long term engagement. Overall, Krispy
Kreme provides quality content on a frequent basis, giving them the Twitter
advantage.
17
18. INSTAGRAM
Dunkin' Donuts
followers
following
971 K
6,801
Dunkin' Donuts has one verified Instagram account with
over 900K followers. Dunkin' Donuts does a great job of
posting pictures that are interesting and have a unique
viewpoint, rather than just pushing product. Majority of
posts relate to coffee, which makes sense considering
coffee accounts for the highest percentage of sales
revenue. Posts typically include a coffee cup with a
unique background, placing the emphasis on the cool
place the coffee is at. Their posts inspire exploration and
travel, as Dunkin' Donuts coffee cups are seen all around
the world. Dunkin' Donuts reposts content from other
users, but ensures that these posts follow along with their
strategy of promoting creative, visually appealing
content. In some cases, you wouldn’t be able to tell the
difference between user-generated content and Dunkin'
Donuts original content if they did not give credit to the
user. They have a consistent format for how they credit
content by including the camera emoji followed by the
user handle at the end of each post.
posts
889
18
20. INSTAGRAM
Krispy Kreme
followers
following
619 K
6,604
Krispy Kreme’s Instagram account gets a little
complicated, as there are 2 officially verified accounts.
However, one is linked with the Krispy Kreme website,
while the other is the official Krispy Kreme account of
the Middle East. I mention this because while the Middle
East account has fewer followers, the content is much
more in line with Instagram best practices. Instagram
should be used to capture interesting, distinctive content
that makes for an engaging image and the official Krispy
Kreme account does not always do that. Their Instagram
account does not appear to have a consistent theme,
messaging, or standards for picture quality. While they do
repost user-generated content to engage with customers,
this content lacks quality and consistency. There are also
variations in how they credit users, as sometimes they
mention them in a comment and other times they use the
repost app. Additionally, they post pictures that seem to
be screenshots of tweets from Twitter, which is not what
Instagram was intended for.
posts
1,990
20
22. INSTAGRAM
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
Dunkin' Donuts sweeps the board on Instagram with their seamless integration of
user-generated content and artistically valuable images. They fully understand what
Instagram should be used for and they put it into practice by maintaining a
consistent Instagram account with a common theme. Krispy Kreme definitely has
some work to do on their Instagram account and to start, they need to develop a
central focus on the types of images they want to post. Not all user-generated
content needs to be shared, even if it means making a connection with a potential
customer. Dunkin' Donuts images are colorful, appealing, and add value to
viewers. They look beyond simply promoting their product and instead provide a
unique viewpoint for their brand. Dunkin' Donuts essentially brings people together
as a community by showcasing products across the nation. From warm beaches to
busy cities, the Dunkin' brand stays the same, uniting people through coffee and
doughnuts. They remain consistent in what they plan to deliver and they follow
through with their content strategy.
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23. YOUTUBE
Dunkin' Donuts
subscribers
views
30,788
28,711,600
Dunkin' Donuts uses their YouTube channel to create
celebrity music videos related to their products. It was
certainly surprising to discover my second cousin, Rob
Gronkowski, featured in a variety of 'hit singles'
including “Sippin” and “Turn it Up”. Similar to
Facebook, Dunkin' Donuts appears to be targeting
millennials with their video content, creating catchy
songs and featuring athletes. The homepage is well
organized and showcases popular Playlists, including
“Odell Beckham Jr. <3’s Dunkin’” and Gronk and Big
Papi’s “Summer Chill”. Video length ranges anywhere
from short 15-second clips to 3-minute videos. Dunkin'
Donuts posts regularly, which is crucial to gaining
subscribers who are looking for new weekly content.
Dunkin' Donuts creates mini series that build on each
other which encourage viewers to continue to the next
episode and subscribe to the channel for new videos.
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25. YOUTUBE
Krispy Kreme
subscribers
views
3,149
1,035,129
The Krispy Kreme YouTube channel contains a
variety of videos, but they tell a story. Their current
YouTube campaign is centered on “The Krispy
Kreme Effect,” which uses a hidden camera to
uncover the authentic reaction people have when
they see a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Past
campaigns include behind the scenes videos on how
Krispy Kreme doughnuts are made, as well as a
series called “12 Ways to Eat a Doughnut”. These
types of videos encourage subscriptions, as each
video fits into the next. Viewers become interested in
the first video and are called to check back for more.
However, Krispy Kreme also includes a lot of video
commercials, which don’t fit into any theme or
category. Users do not want to visit a channel just to
watch a commercial, they want engaging content.
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27. YOUTUBE
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
Dunkin' Donuts has a long term, viable programming strategy in place. They are
effectively targeting millennials, who enjoy watching videos, by providing
interesting and relatable content. Celebrity endorsements allow Dunkin' Donuts to
gain credibility with this demographic and increase their brand reach. The
YouTube channel page is well organized and easy to navigate, so viewers have an
enjoyable user experience and are willing to return. Dunkin' Donuts works to
ensure new content is continuously being published in a timely manner.
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28. MOBILE APP
Dunkin' Donuts
ratings471
Dunkin' Donuts last updated their mobile app in August 2016 in an attempt to increase user
experience, but this update was met with just as many unhappy customers. These negative
reviews add up, leaving Dunkin' Donuts with an overall rating of 1.5 stars. Upon first opening
the app, users are met with a message promoting DD Perks. However, this same message will
pop up every time the app is opened, so unless you decide to enroll, you will constantly need to
dismiss the message. Dunkin' Donuts does a good job in presenting a visually appealing app.
They have a consistent theme and their menu graphics allow users to easily find what they are
looking for. New formatting and design seem to be what Dunkin' Donuts held in the highest
regard when developing this app, rather than what the customer really needed. Many reviews
complain of complicated processes and difficulty using rewards.
28
29. MOBILE APP
Krispy Kreme
ratings277
The Krispy Kreme app is simply designed with the consumer in mind. Upon first
opening the app, users are met with a summary of the number of points
accumulated, amount of money on card, and information on the closest location.
One of the main, unique features of this app is the Hotlight function. Users can
select a Krispy Kreme location and receive alerts on when the "Hot Now" sign is
activated. This app has proved incredibly successful, as it has received a 4.5 star
rating. In their next update, Krispy Kreme should expand their app features to
include the menu. Users want to be able to browse before arriving, so providing a
menu will allow them to easily access this information.
29
30. MOBILE APP
EST. 2016
Certified Champion
30
Krispy Kreme takes the lead on mobile, as their app is easy to use, unique, and well
formatted. Users are not overloaded with information or options when they first
open the app. The Hotlight feature is something that differentiates Krispy Kreme
from other brands and they have done a great job of integrating this aspect of the
brand into their digital media marketing strategy. While visually appealing content
is important, Dunkin' Donuts made the mistake of prioritizing it over the needs and
wants of the consumer. In such a digital-oriented world, mobile experiences can
make or break a brand, as users take those experiences and translate them into
reviews. Krispy Kreme has developed an app that adds value to the consumer and
makes their experience enjoyable.
31. After being named the Certified Champion of Twitter, Facebook, and Mobile App interface, Krispy
Kreme takes home the gold for overall social media utilization. Success should be measured by
quality, not quantity. So while Krispy Kreme may have smaller numbers, they have stronger
consumer relationships. Krispy Kreme is doing a great job at engaging their audience across all digital
marketing channels. Their content is interesting and engaging for users to follow, which allows the
brand to reach new markets. Their social media presence does not simply cater to
current customers or doughnut enthusiasts. Rather, they provide content that is all around
entertaining and visually appealing, so even if you're not a huge fan of doughnuts, you may find
yourself following and subscribing to their platforms. Krispy Kreme holds consumers in the forefront
of their social media strategy, as seen through their user-generated content, Twitter trivia, social
comments, and quick response time across all platforms. When it comes down to it, Krispy Kreme
works hard to develop strong customer relationships that lead to long term success, while Dunkin'
Donuts cares more about their products. Social media is about conversation and Dunkin' Donuts is
interested in hearing themselves talk, while Krispy Kreme is interested in hearing their customers
talk. They have a clear strategy in place to ensure content is being posted consistently, which gives
users a reason to follow or subscribe. Krispy Kreme has done a great job of developing a specific
brand image, allowing them to develop a strong following for continued success.
SOCIAL MEDIA
EST. 2016
Overall Champion
FINAL VOTE
Krispy Kreme
31
32. REFERENCES
Dunkin' Donuts v. Krispy Kreme
About Us. (2014). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from http://www.dunkinbrands.com/about
Alvarez, A. (2016, March). Doughnut Stores in the US. Retrieved October 19, 2016, from
http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/doughnut-stores.html
Company Snapshot. (2016). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from
https://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/company.html
Osbon, J. (n.d.). Social Media Marketing Strategy Audience Development [PowerPoint slides].
Retrieved from https://uga.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/1177058/viewContent/
18167111/View
Our Story. (2016). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from https://www.krispykreme.com/about/Our-
Story
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