Dunkin' Donuts Beats Up on Starbucks

Back in the day Starbucks was the cool kid on the block. They were local, small and all about quality. Then, they got a little big for their britches, garnering some serious snubbing from hipsters (for their corporate atmosphere) and outright blatant attacks by competitors, like Dunkin' Donuts.

While it may surprise you, as it did me, that these two vaguely similar companies are competitors, Dunkin' Donuts is taking things very seriously.

In a recently launched ad campaign, Dunkin' Donuts asserts that in a nationwide taste test, 54.2 percent of participants preferred Dunkin Donuts coffee, while only 39.3 percent preferred Starbucks. The company's Starbucks-bashing appears in a national television spot where the blind taste test is re-enacted. Guess who consumers choose? Hint: It wasn't Starbucks.

And it's live on the web with the DunkinBeatStarbucks.com site, featuring the hilarious, "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Starbucks" tagline. You know, that is kind of catchy.

The site is exceptionally well-done, and in this blogger's opinion, could sway almost any Starbucks lover over to the Dunkin' Donuts side. Dunkin' is so fanatical in their Starbucks hatred that they even label their campaign the "truth," as in "Spread the Truth" and "Learn the Truth." Whoa, Dunkin--now who's too big for their britches?

To be honest, I have never had Dunkin' Donuts coffee (there are zero locations in Portland, Ore., although there are two Starbucks on every corner). But, that is not the point. What is, you might wonder? Well, while I don't actually know if Dunkin' Donuts coffee is truly better than Starbucks, their campaign is funny, interesting and stops you dead in your tracks.

Who dares to nay say the king of coffee? Apparently, Dunkin' Donuts. And that alone is worth paying attention to.

But do retailers really want to make a habit of bashing one another for shock value and attention? It's not exactly a good idea in terms of retail karma.

What are your thoughts--is Dunkin' Donuts coffee really better than Starbucks? Leave your vote here. On the marketing end of things, is Dunkin' shooting themselves in the foot or is this a smart campaign? Tell us your thoughts!

--Heather Strang

Comments

[Bob Gary]

Neither one compares to any of several local coffehouses in the area. And the donuts are no longer made fresh in the store. On store makes the donuts and delivers to many in the area. They used to brew vanilla and hazelnut as well as their house coffee. Now, to save money, when you order a vanilla or hazelnut, they pump syrup into their house coffee...and don't even tell you they changed.

All their specialty drinks are loaded with chemical. Go on their website and see..you'll never get anything from them again. In fact, their coffee coolatta doesn't even have any coffee in it! It's flavored with coffee extract.

I won't set foot it the place.

[what!!!!!???????]

dunkin donuts has been around for over 50 years, it's first store opened in massachusetts. It is quality, more favored by working class, rather than the yuppies hanging out with their lap tops hanging at starbucks, and I am not being a hippocrit, I have a lap top. I am just saying dunkin is old school been around, and is only now hitting the big seen, star bucks like a toddler is comparison. So dunkin donuts makes a few jokes, come on the names for the weird sized of their coffies, and confusing names is just annoying especially when you have to work, and just want a fresh cup of coffee, and get back to your life, and don't require translations for ordering, puleese!!!! GO DUNKS you RULE!!1 5 am " Times to make the donuts." cristy cream fad when down in flames too, fads are short lived, anyone who can grow consistently over 50 years, earns my respect. go dunks!!!!!!!!!!!

[Smitty J]

Have to agree with "hardliner" in that Dunkin has Starbucks beat on the food thing...they make donuts fresh in the store vs Starbucks pulling a pastry out of a refrigerated cardboard box. Starbucks hot breakfast sandwiches are a welcome exception..they are far tastier than a doughnut, or, say an Egg McMuffin. Dunkin is a franchise and not very consistent as far at store atmosphere. A lot of them smell of ammonia, or Lysol. Starbucks is a good coffee and a caring employer, and they are trying hard these days. Still, for a real coffee experience, Starbucks could learn a lot (right at home in Seattle) from a small (3-store) operation that's been in town for 20 years called Espresso Vivace. Beyond comparison.

[norman walker]

I found the Dunkin Doughnuts marketing catchy. I gave Dunkin a try for several days to see if their delivery matched their message. The coffee is weak and the ambiance is about doughnuts, not coffee. The price is so close, lets call it the same. Grande $1.89 @ Starbucks vs. Large $1.83 @ Dunkin. I am still a Starbucks fan.

[Carrie Kerpen]

So here's the thing. I LOVE Dunks. I really do. I am a huge fan. But I didn't like negative political ads, and I DON'T like negative coffee ads. Seriously. Dunkin DOES taste better. But I can't plug my laptop in and get work done at a Dunks. I don't expect Starbucks to call DD dirty, and I don't expect Dunks to talk such blatant smack about Starbucks. It's just bad form. Ew.

[Tony Kadysewski]

Interesting and timely blog Diva ... both on the combatants and the marketing approach. Sadly I am not overly fond of either Dunkin or Starbucks coffees. For my tastes, often less well know brands discovered hidden among the kiosks at the Mall or stumbled across at a roadside convenience outlet are more satisfying to my not-terribly-sophisticated palate. Maybe "smallness" and a personal touch to brewing make the difference for me.

[Ron Knoth]

Every new is old again... so pishtau to Mrs. Olson with her phoney Swedish accent, in the 1970's Folgers launced a brilliant ad campaing known as "The Switch", it went roughly like this...Closeup of bohemian coffee shop, VOICE OVER, man whispers..."We're here outside on New York City's famed Peackcock Cafe in Greenwich Vilage, where customers are discriminating, (read lefties and gays) we've secretly replaced their regular coffee with Folgers Instant Cofee, lets see if they can tell the difference?" raises eyebrow, insert product placement, followed by montage of happy faces of typical New Yorkers smoking cigarettes and drooling over their coffee. Man with microphone (ala Alan Funt) interupts them, and asks if they like their cup of coffee? There is univerasal praise...naturally" MAN: Well we switched your regular blend with Folgers Instant!!! You've been drinking (gasp) instant coffee!!! Customers are shocked, "It can't be?" "Are you kidding?" "This is instant? It tastes just just like percolated?. Their value system is destroyed, but yes, those uppity New Yorkers are now brand loyal Folgers Drinkers.

PS: note to readers Starbucks has discontinued it's classic "Awake" (English Breakfast) tea with a new flavor called "Season's Greetings", which takes like the inside of an elfs sock!

[jerry herschman]

why go to starbucks when you have stumptown? we have both and neither one is that great, Phoenix coffee (local) is first class joe

[Kaisersosay]

I live in the heart of DD land (Boston area) and hate the coffee compared to Starbucks.
It tastes too sweet and too weak.

[hardliner]

In terms of general coffee, there's little difference between the 2 brands (hate me if you must, but remember I drink decaf for my blood pressure so don't rile me up) and I'd rather have an inexpensive donut from Dunkin than an overpriced muffin from Starbucks to go with it, so I'll vote for Dunkin. But if you want one of those fancy schmantsy coffee replicas then Starbucks has them beat, if you have the money to burn on a fancy drink without any alcohol in it.