Dunkin’:
Shake That Ess’
Role
Oversaw the campaign’s awards strategy, shaping its approach and execution from submission planning through final delivery. Led the development and production of award entry narratives, case study videos, and presentation materials that clearly articulated the campaign’s cultural relevance, creative strength, and business impact across priority award shows.
Accolades
The campaign earned 4 honors across 2 award shows, including:
Clio Music Awards: Bronze for Partnerships, Sponsorships & Collaborations
The Drum Awards for Marketing (Americas):
2 Golds in Social Media and Food & Beverage
1 Silver in Partnership or Collaboration
Case Study
Campaign Overview
Dunkin’ competes in a crowded QSR landscape dominated by giants like Starbucks, often with a fraction of the media budget and a similar specialty coffee menu. To launch its Shaken Espresso, a category long owned by Starbucks, Dunkin’ needed a culturally fluent idea that would win hearts, social feeds, and cups.
Enter Sabrina Carpenter, the breakout pop star of 2024, whose hit single “Espresso” racked up more than 2 billion Spotify streams. More than just a chart-topper, Sabrina’s witty, self-aware personality and massive Gen Z following made her the perfect creative partner for Dunkin’.
Together, they launched “Shake That Ess’,” a campaign that fused music, humor, and brand identity into one seamless moment. From playful social-first content to custom merch drops, the partnership felt authentic to both brands and irresistibly shareable. The results? Record-breaking media, sales, and social engagement.
Hero Spot
Campaign Results
“Shake That Ess’” delivered a record-breaking performance across media, culture, and commerce:
25M views in the first 24 hours, with 95% from non-followers
#1 most-viewed and most-liked organic post in Dunkin’ history
12.7B+ earned media impressions across 835 placements
Custom campaign merch sold out in 90 seconds
Most importantly, Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso drove double-digit growth across the entire Iced Espresso category, became the #1 driver of same-store sales growth during the campaign window, and captured market share directly from Starbucks.
Awards Expertise
The awards strategy focused on positioning “Shake That Ess’” as a modern example for music-led brand partnerships. Submissions emphasized cultural relevance, social-native creativity, and measurable business impact, particularly the campaign’s ability to drive category growth without outspending competitors.
By tailoring entries to categories celebrating partnerships, social creativity, and food & beverage marketing (and supporting them with standout metrics), the campaign secured high-impact recognition and reinforced Dunkin’s reputation for punching far above its weight.