This year’s Super Bowl was marked by celebrity-filled commercials, from State Farm playfully poking at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accent to Jennifer Anison “forgetting” David Schwimmer in an Uber Eats spot.
But one commercial caught our attention, not just for its perfectly chosen star-studded cast, but also for its ability to keep the conversation going after the final whistle.
The perfect match: Though the DunKings ad also starred Matt Damon, Tom Brady, and Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck was the true star. And for good reason:
- Affleck has been associated with Dunkin for years, spotted with the brand’s coffee in countless paparazzi photos, so much so it’s become meme-worthy.
- Affleck (and Damon) is a native of Boston, not far from Quincy, where the first Dunkin opened.
While the premise of the ad was silly, it also felt authentic because of Affleck’s love for the brand.
Keep the fun going: Dunkin’s commercial made a few “best of” lists the day after the game, but what makes it such a powerful campaign is how Dunkin kept it going well after the game ended.
- In addition to limited-edition menu items, Dunkin released a line of DunKings merch, including a sweatshirt, a hot pink fuzzy bucket hat, pink and orange tumblers, and the tracksuits that Affleck and company wore in the ad, which sold out in under 20 minutes, according to Business Insider.
- Dunkin also released an extended cut of the commercial, along with a full version of Affleck’s song, “Don’t Dunk Away at My Heart.”
The bottom line: Dunkin built on the success of last year’s Super Bowl spot with Affleck by bringing in even more characters in the form of his best friend (Damon), his wife (Lopez), and a football legend (former New England Patriot Brady). But the heart of the campaign relies on Affleck’s true affinity for the brand and Dunkin’s ability to take it beyond the TV screen.
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