The Dunkin' tote I got free with the purchase of a half dozen donuts.
Katie Notopoulos/Business Insider
On Monday, I called a few of my local Dunkin' locations to ask if they still had the free tote bags available with the purchase of a half or full dozen donuts. One location was very confused by the call, one didn't answer, and one said that yes, they had just one in stock. I raced over, and to my relief, I secured the bag.The free tote was a limited-time promotion. Locations only got 20 bags each. It's not the first Dunkin' merchandise promotion, and certainly not even the most exciting. A branded tote bag is one of those things that you accumulate in life — not necessarily something you seek out.But there was just something about the Dunkin' tote that called to me. As far as totes go, it's handsome. It came in pink or orange straps against white, an L.L. Bean-influenced style. I felt something deep in my bones, my soul, that I had to have it.What was it about this tote back that activated something in me? Stanning a brand is cringe (see: Disney adults), and I live in fear of being cringe. So what made this different for me?I have a few ideas.Dunkin's merch strategy works on Gen ZThe marketing for Dunkin' has leaned into viral moments and Gen Z appeal in the last few years. In 2020, Dunkin' got TikTok star Charli D'Amelio to act as spokesperson and sold viral donut-scented candles. Its menu is full of sweet iced drinks that chase trendy flavors like matcha and ube. Dunkin' recently jumped on the "dirty soda" trend, combining Pepsi and coffee milk. (I tried it, along with some of its other newest drinks, and found it fairly disgusting.)Part of this push to Gen Z is with limited merch drops over the last few years (young people love a "drop"). This winter, Dunkin' gave away a single pink mitten to keep your hand warm while holding an iced coffee, a playful nod to the Northeast tradition of consuming iced coffee even in winter. (While this may have once been a New England thing, the rise of iced beverages is nationwide, and since 2021, iced drinks have outsold hot ones at Starbucks, even in winter months.)
