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« Bredesen's Pre-K Plan Undermines Goal of Lottery | Main | A History of the Recent Future? » February 4, 2005Slam Dunked
Robert Cox at The National Debate is blogging about Dunkin' Donuts having pulled a special free-coffee-for-soldiers-in-Iraq promo after too many folks decided to actually take advantage of the offer. Did it not occur to the brilliant minds in the exec suite at Dunkin' Donuts that, if they offered to ship a case of coffee to soldiers in Iraq for free, they might wind up having to send 130,000 cases of coffee? Apparently not, because they wimped out and pulled the offer after shipping about 400 cases. Cox is all over them for it. Here is his initial post noting the offer and providing instructions on how you could take advantage of it. But then Dunkin' Donuts pulled the offer. Now, Cox is doing some actual journalism (even though he's just a blogger!) to determine just what level of stupidity is in charge at Dunkin' Donuts. One thing for sure is that they made a mistake if they thought - in an era of e-mail, usenet groups and forums and blogs - that word would not get out that they have been shipping cases of coffee to our men and women in Iraq. Stay tuned.This story is at a tipping point. Dunkin' Donuts could still do the right thing. Perhaps offer to ship a case of coffee "at cost" to soldiers or units in Iraq. Or offer to send 10,000 cases, on a first-come first-served basis. Meanwhile, uh, Dunkin' Donuts folks, if you read this, please do something about the lack of Dunkin' Donuts stores in the Nashville area. We're overloaded with Krispy Kreme, which is only occasionally a passable substitute for a real donut. Comments
Totally off base from your post, but I've been blessed (that is definitely the word to use here) by a mom & pop donut shop called Brookhaven's Donuts. Handmade, gourmet donuts that are the most wonderful thing you could ever put in your mouth. I've not shopped at either DD or KK in over a year because of them. Posted by: Sharp as a Marble at February 4, 2005 11:07 AMIf Dounkin Dounuts is smart they will figure our how to make a PR sucess out of the extra costs.To withdrawl this promiss would be huge mistake. In econo 101 everbody knows what happens when folks stop bying your products. Especially when it involves the brave Americans, supporting their right to be FREE. God Bless our solders. Posted by: York at February 4, 2005 11:30 AMI'll second your notion of more Dunkin Donuts in and around the Nashville area. I prefer them over Krispy Kreme and $6 Starbucks anyday. If they were to set up a system that would allow anyone to donate towards the costs involved - that would be much more favorable than killing the 'initiative' altogether. This could be a huge PR win or loss for them, depending on how they play it. I went back to Home Depot due to their military-friendly attitude as an employer, and I would certainly do the same for Dunkin Donuts - if they play it right. Posted by: DocB at February 4, 2005 11:37 AMKrispy Kreme has been badly hurt by the "lo-carb" fad, so Dunkin Donuts likely has been hurt, too. Dunkin's faux pas was, as you noted, not doing its math before making the offer. It received a response it never expected. Poor business tactic. If Krispy Kreme, or another donut company, were smart, it would now hop aboard and fill the orders Dunkin reneged on. I, too, shop at businesses I know treat our troops well. Sears and Home Depot are just two of same. Posted by: Bachbone at February 4, 2005 01:39 PMRe donuts: Small shop donuts are frequently quite better than either the cake-textured but dunkable donuts of Dunkin, or the glazed globs of sugar held together by air of Krispy. I recommend, to anyone able to get some, the yolk-golden entree known as a Round Rock Donut, sold exclusively in only 2 shops (1 from 1929 until just recently) in the eponymous suburb north of Austin Texas. Get 'em while they are hot and a dozen won't make it home with you, despite each donut making a meal in itself. And this is from a guy who nearly cried when a KK finally opened in my city of exile, Baltimore, Maryland. Posted by: me at February 4, 2005 03:18 PMi so like krispy kreme better. my dad used to take me to some krispy kreme out on nolensville road at 6am on saturday mornings, back when KK didn't have chrome stores. it was great. Posted by: joshua at February 4, 2005 05:17 PMKrispy Kreme's trouble is the result of being poorly managed, and has little to do with the low-carb fad. Dunkin, like any well-managed company, will ride it out and use the lull to reposition itself for new opportunities. When Krispy Kreme came onto the public scene, I inquired about buying into the stock. The broker responded, "Buy the doughnuts, but leave the stock alone". Overanxious management trying to grow too fast. Posted by: SemiPundit at February 6, 2005 01:57 PMI'm at war with the Tennessee Guard... and one things for sure, you boys down in Tennessee know a lot about a lot of things.... but you don't know a damned thing about donuts if you like Dunkin Donuts better. Posted by: Troop in Iraq at February 11, 2005 03:40 AMPost a comment
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I'm a fan of Dunkin' Donuts. Good donuts. Good coffee. Better than Krispy Kreme. But, man, are they on the verge of a PR debacle. Or possibly a PR coup.