Challenge:

The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation brought Hollywood Agency onto their team in early ’24 to help drive stronger brand awareness and fundraising outcomes for its key initiatives across multiple channels through highly strategic public relations and social media marketing programs. This included lifting awareness and engagement of signature events including Good Citizens Month, Iced Coffee Day, Fall Grant Program announcements, and the 2024 BARK dog toy launch. With its mission to bring joy to kids battling illness and hunger across the United States, the Foundation needed to develop a cohesive narrative and activated campaigns that resonated emotionally with consumers, partners, and the media at large.

Solution:

To support these efforts, Hollywood built a multi-faceted public relations and content strategy that encompassed three key elements:

• Media Engagement: The Hollywood team crafted a comprehensive media toolkit that included key messaging points, media alerts, and customizable press releases that Dunkin’ franchisees could use to support their Iced Coffee Day efforts in their local markets. Media engagement also included outreach to local and national outlets, generating substantial media coverage and engagement that drove almost 63 million media impressions and more than 3 dozen pieces of media coverage.
• Campaign Execution: The ‘Painting with Joy’ campaign in June at children’s hospitals, including Bernard and Millie Duker Children’s Hospital, became a centerpiece event, leveraging art therapy to bring joy to kids hospitalized with serious illnesses while supporting this major fundraising effort. This event was amplified through local media as well, reaching a national audience while aiding the Foundation in raising a record $2.1 million in a single day.
• Social Media Marketing Strategy: From June through September 2024, the Foundation maximized its presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, delivering content tailored to each platform that aided public awareness of the Foundation as a major philanthropic organization. With a focus on storytelling that connects emotionally with fans and followers alike, Hollywood helped boost social media engagement rates far above industry averages.

Results

These campaigns delivered exceptional results across the board:

• Media Coverage: 37 pieces of media coverage, resulting in over 62.8M media impressions across print, TV, and radio, from major media outlets to specialized publications such as The Chronicle of Philanthropy and QSR.
• Three-Month Social Media Impact Snapshot:
  – Facebook: 27,764 users reached and a 9.2% engagement rate.
  – Instagram: 47,536 users reached, 5.82% engagement rate, and 289 net new followers.
  – LinkedIn: 45,920 impressions and a 12.4% engagement rate.

These engagement rates are well above average for each platform, reflecting the emphasis on tailoring content for each platform with thumb-stopping storytelling narratives.

The Foundation’s Iced Coffee Day alone raised $2.1M, with additional campaigns including the  2024 BARK/Dunkin’ dog toy launch and Give Joy fundraisers extending this momentum for future fundraising efforts. Additionally, Hollywood Agency helped drive substantial coverage across all channels in support of the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s fall grants announcements, which featured more than 360 nonprofit organizations receiving $8.5 million in grant funding to help bring more joy to more kids battling illness and hunger in the U.S

Looking Ahead

The Hollywood team is actively planning for 2025 and beyond, focused on curating compelling storytelling opportunities that will raise more awareness of the impact of the Foundation’s work among consumers, especially Dunkin’ loyalists. This includes launching innovative campaigns like National Gaming Day, and amplifying franchisee and grantee stories.