Humans are creatures of habit. Not only that, but we’re also afraid of change. The trend nowadays is for everything to be quick, catchy, and attention-grabbing, especially in the consumer market. Dunkin’ Donuts realized this, as many people just refer to the company as “Dunkin'” itself, but consumers around the world aren’t too happy to hear that the coffee, donut, and bagel chain is testing name changes to drop the word “Donuts” from the company.
Starting out in fifty locations in the U.S., the name shortening will be a test run that measures sales increase or decrease due to the switch. It’s a marketing stunt that, unlike iHop’s name change, is actually measuring statistics to see if it’s a smart move. Additionally, the change comes with an extensive rebranding campaign that will include a new look, new uniforms, etc.
But regular consumers are going to miss the classic “DD” logo if the company drops “Donuts” from it’s name. And believe it or not, these changes psychologically impact how we spend our money as consumers.
The chain will begin pushing non-bakery items like sports drinks and its recent donut fries as new additions. The revolution begins with 30 stores in Boston dropping the name, and 20 more around the U.S. also making the shift. The first reactions, however, seem to come with negative vibes.
