AdMiration feature: Dunkin's "Shake That Ess"

For this week’s AdMiration feature, we looked at consumer response to Dunkin’s "Shake That Ess" ad. The ad is part of their campaign with 2024’s breakout artist Sabrina Carpenter to promote the launch of Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso. 

Read on to get our 3-2-1 snapshot of the ad (3 facts, 2 learnings and 1 reflection) and learn how their ad was received based on our data.

The ad opens to Sabrina Carpenter shaking up some Dunkin’ coffee in what appears to be a high-end Dunkin’ club as she says, “I love shakin’ that ess.” Another woman appears next to Sabrina and tells her, “You’re really good at shakin’ that ess!” Sabrina responds, “I’ve been shakin’ that ess for hours. You should try it.” The camera pans to a man at a Dunkin’ bar who turns with shaker in hand to say, “I’m shaking that ess!” Another woman is shown standing next to a waiter holding a Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso and says, “Can I grab that ess?” To which Sabrina raises a concerned brow, until the woman grabs the espresso and starts shaking it as well. 

The scene returns briefly to Sabrina and the original woman alongside her, now both shaking espresso drinks, who asks Sabrina, “Am I shakin’ that ess?” To which Sabrina smiles and says, “You are shakin’ that ess!” 

The camera then pans to Sabrina’s grandma, also shaking an espresso, who says, “No one shakes that ess like GamGam!”  

The scene returns to Sabrina who, in sudden realization, laughs and says, “Oh, shake that ess kinda sounds like shake that a**!” 

The ad concludes with a shot of Dunkin’s new Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso with a lipstick mark on the cup alongside the phrase: Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso, only at Dunkin’.

3 facts

• The ad scored high in potential to drive short term sales, landing in the top 20% of all ads, and above average potential to build the brand into the longer term.

• The ad is highly distinctive and really captures attention, resulting in significantly more people than average watching the entire ad (93%).

• People know it’s an ad for Dunkin' with 76% being able to spontaneously recall the brand having watched the ad within programming and within a reel of ads (versus a norm of 68%).

2 learnings 

• Celebrities tend to have core demographics they appeal to and this can often influence how the ad is received. In this case, while the ad is still successful across all age groups, it is far stronger among those under 46.

• Even when a celebrity is present, it’s important to remember that the other characters in the ad still have a role to play in the story. In this ad, 18% of people talk about liking the characters — and many refer not just to Sabrina but to the roles of the other characters.

1 reflection

Are you ensuring that your brand benefits from the use of a celebrity versus simply adding to their fame? This is critical, especially leading up to the Super Bowl, where we see many examples of celebrities being used but without people seeing a clear connection to the brand. Celebrities can be a great asset, but only if you choose the right ones and ensure they help tell a relevant story for your brand.

Capitalizing on Sabrina Carpenter's massive breakout and hit song “Espresso” Dunkin’ partnered with the artist for a collab made in heaven to promote “Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso” — a limited-time, handcrafted iced beverage combining Dunkin’s bold espresso, brown sugar notes and oat milk. 

The spot was directed by Dave Meyers and was created in partnership with Artists Equity, Ben Affleck’s and Matt Damon’s company.

Dunkin’ initially teased the collaboration on social media with images of a drink featuring Carpenter’s recognizable red kiss mark, generating fan anticipation for the formal reveal on Dec 31. 

Jill McVicar Nelson, Chief Marketing Officer at Dunkin’ shared, “When we first dreamed up Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso at Dunkin’, it had to be more than another delicious drink on the menu — we wanted to bring some levity to guests’ everyday coffee order. Working with one of America’s most beloved pop stars, Sabrina Carpenter, adds a spirited, fresh energy that perfectly aligns with Dunkin’s love of bold taste and good-natured fun. Through our new ad campaign, we’re showing guests that their new drink order can be both delicious and a wink at embracing life’s lighter side — exactly what Dunkin’ is all about.”

The ad excelled in driving Sales Impact (86) and scored above average in Brand Impact (58) which reflects its long-term brand building potential.

The ad’s strength lies in its distinctiveness (4.1 versus 3.8) and its ability to capture the audience’s attention — which results in significantly higher than average watch time of 93%.

The distinctiveness of the ad comes from its humorous storyline, with 29% of people selecting laughter as the strongest emotion they have while watching the ad, versus a norm of 7%. And while the storyline as a whole is funny, there are also key moments that strike a chord and leave the audience laughing out loud.

Despite a clear focus on the celebrity in the ad, people still know it’s an ad for Dunkin, through logos, color schemes, product placement, and more, with 76% being able to spontaneously recall the brand among a reel of ads (versus a norm of 68%). The focus on “shaken espresso” also effectively highlighted the (very clearly Dunkin’) product’s preparation and appeal.

Of course, celebrities tend to have core demographics they appeal to and this can often influence how the ad is received. In this case, Sabrina Carpenter is recognized by 68% of people, but the recognition drops to 51% among people over 46.

While younger consumers and fans of Sabrina Carpenter appreciated the ad's lighthearted, pop-culture-driven approach, it does slightly risk alienating a broader audience, who were not as familiar with the pop star and who had some concerns about the sexualization featured in the ad. 

Despite this, the ad succeeded in generating curiosity around the new drink, with many viewers noting its fun, interactive nature, making it an appealing option for those seeking novelty in their coffee choices.

It’s also worth noting that even when a celebrity is present, it’s important to remember the other characters in the ad. For this ad, 18% of people spontaneously talked about liking the other characters.

There are several other peaks of laughter throughout the ad, most notably when the man at the Dunkin’ bar turns around with shaker in hand to say, “I’m shaking that ess!”, when a woman asks a waiter holding a Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso if she, “Can grab that ess?” and when Sabrina laughs and says, “Oh, shake that ess kinda sounds like shake that a**!” with a Dunkin' logo bleeping out her mouth.

Here’s what people had to say they: 

• “I liked the sense of humor it had, and the way it was done featured the drink prominently. It looked really tasty.”

• “I thought it was sort of funny when they kept saying shaking that ice and it sounded like they kept swearing haha. I like how it included other people, not just Sabrina even though she was the star of the ad.”

• “I liked the humor and how many different types of people were represented. I also just love Sabrina Carpenter. The set was pretty too!”

• “I liked the vibrant colors and easy-going mood of the production. The play on words was interesting and had me a little confused in the beginning until it was clarified at the end.”

• “It was just freaking hilarious. At first, I was a little confused, but as it went on it just got better and better.”

Dunkin’s “Shake That Ess” effectively communicates the launch of their new Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso in a playful and humorous way while also leveraging the trendy appeal of Sabrina Carpenter to engage with a younger audience.

What did you think? Let us know by interacting with our coverage of the ad on LinkedIn.

To make sure you never miss one of our AdMiration analyses, subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter.