On Sept. 25, Dunkin’ Donuts officially announced that they will drop the word “Donuts” from their name. Effective in January, Dunkin’ Donuts plans to completely change their name on all ads, packages, signs, and social media accounts. The sudden name change is due to the company wanting to be more “beverage-led” and focus more on the coffees and teas that they offer. As well as changing the name of the company, Dunkin’ Donuts also plan to remove the famous “DD” cup in their world recognized logo. 

According to Dunkin’ Donuts, the only change is in the name. However, I think this big change will leave customers confused and unsure of the shift the company is making. The outcome of this marketing move is hard to predict, due to the brand having been around for so long and being so well-known. I think the change will confuse customers and leave them wondering why their favorite donut shop is making the shift. 

Changing the name to be more of a “beverage-led” company, puts Dunkin’ Donuts in a tough spot, competing with big name coffee shops like Starbucks and Scooters. These famous companies that have focused on coffee drinks, while offering pastries and the occasional breakfast item, have been operating this way for many years, and have been incredibly successful at it. Starbucks and Scooters have learned the ways in which to market their beverages successfully, leading most advertising with a picture of a caffeinated drink. This is a big change that the new Dunkin’ will have to learn how to adjust to, which will completely change all of their past advertising efforts. After the change to Dunkin’, I don’t think they will be pulling a larger population of customers because they want beverages instead of donuts.

Changing the name and logo of the company is a big decision.  As we have seen in the past with IHOP changing their name to IHOB and receiving an immense amount of backlash to the point of changing the name back to IHOP, these changes don’t always go over well. Although the menu of Dunkin’ won’t change, which is different than that of IHOB, it is still hard to predict the outcome of the donut shop’s customers when they experience this change first hand.  

Although there is change, only half the brand name is being removed and the logo colors are still remining the same. This consistency might reassure the public that Dunkin’ Donuts will still remain the same after removing the word, “Donuts”, but some might perceive this as a complete change in the company, which could lead Dunkin’ Donuts to losing a lot of customers. It is hard to predict the outcome of the change, but with the appropriate marketing, and the constant reassurance that the menu will not change, I think Dunkin’ Donuts will survive the change, and maybe even thrive with the new name.