What’s the Tea in Carpetville? ☕️
Upcoming AMAa
AirB&Brina???
2024 was undoubtedly the year of Sabrina Carpenter, filled with mega hits, a number one album, and brand collaborations. She ended the year with another smash partnership, her Dunkin’ collab.
Let’s rewind back the clock and look at the comms strategy that made it all happen:
The Goal 💋
Dunkin’ wanted to kick off 2025 with a bang — and who better to partner with than the newly crowned Princess of Pop? A collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter would drive buzz, increase store visits, and overall brand engagement; turning a simple coffee drink into a cultural moment.
But it takes more than slapping Sabrina’s name on a coffee cup to pull off a successful brand campaign.
The Strategy 💋
But it takes more than slapping Sabrina’s name on a coffee cup to pull off a successful brand campaign:
What They Focused On | Why It Mattered | What They Did |
|---|---|---|
Cultural Relevance | Sabrina was everywhere in 2024 — but would she be able to resonate with Dunkin’ consumers? | Paired Gen Z-friendly visuals with silly broad messaging to appeal across age groups |
Product Hype & Trial | The drink wasn’t brand-new — just a remix of an existing coffee drink | Framed it as Sabrina’s personal pick with fun packaging and limited-edition merch |
Fan Engagement | People love Sabrina, but would they interact with the campaign? | Dropped the now-iconic “Shake That Ess’” video |
The Execution 💋
“Shake That Ess’” ad campaign — directed by Dave Meyers, produced by Artists Equity (Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s company)
Limited-edition shaker — which sold out instantly
Massive social buzz — TikToks, reviews, memes, and the usual Sab controversies
In-store takeover — signage, sleeves, app promos — full integration into the Dunkin stores
KPIs 💋
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(748x275:750x277)/sabrina-carpenter-brown-sugar-shakin-espresso-122724-59c3d0f4f33448c2830aa410cde35816.jpg)
The Comms Plan 💋
A peak into my personal assessment of Dunkin’s vision for the Sabrina campaign.
Business Opportunity: Drive traffic and excitement to Dunkin’ by launching a culturally relevant product, leveraging Sabrina Carpenter’s momentum for viral potential.
Brand Position: Dunkin’ is fun, accessible and in step with cultural trends and moments
Creative Idea: A Shake that Ess’—playful campaign that brings Sabrina’s hilarious personality and hit song “Espresso” into the Dunkin’ universe.
Pillars | Cultural Relevance | Product Hype & Trial | Fan Engagement |
Comms Barrier | Skepticism about celebrity-brand collaborations. Sabrina may not resonate with all of Dunkin’s existing customer base | Lack of awareness of the drink or how to get it | Product unfamiliarity (e.g., “What is a shakin’ espresso?”) |
Comms Task | Balance Gen Z hype with mainstream messaging — make the drink appealing beyond the Carpenter fanbase. Position the collab as authentic and fun with a side of being trendy. | Make it easy to find, order, and position as Sabrina’s signature pick, not just a menu remix. | Show and describe what the drink is and why it’s good |
Media / Tactics | - Launch of the "Shake That Ess’" ad campaign featuring Sabrina Carpenter - The ad showcases a vibrant party scene with guests enthusiastically shaking their drinks, mirroring the real-life craftsmanship behind the beverage. | - In-store signage and menu board features highlighting the new drink. - Availability of the drink nationwide starting December 31, 2024. | -Limited-edition Shakin’ Espresso Shaker available for purchase, which quickly sold out due to high demand. - Social media buzz with fans sharing their experiences and reviews of the drink. |
KPIs | - Social media mentions and engagement related to the Sabrina x Dunkin’ collaboration. - Press coverage and pop culture pickup. | - App traffic and drink page views. - Engagement rate on Sabrina’s collaboration content. | - Sales uplift of the Shakin’ Espresso drink -Selling out the limited-edition Shakin Espresso Shaker. - Redemptions of in-app promotions and rewards related to the drink. |
The Sab Espresso 💋
Sabrina’s ‘Me Espresso’ Perfume is now available in 30 ml/1 oz. (And hopefully they remixed i cause….) Buy it now here!
Sabrina’s Lollapalooza 2025 set will start at 9pm (CST) Sunday, August 3rd.
This week Sabrina also announced a collaboration with AirBnB helping them launch their new AirBnB events program. She will be hosting a day of glam, dancing and espresso in LA…which we will be covering next week!
Are You Free Next Week? 💋
The American Music Awards will be held Monday, May 26th at 8:00PM and Sabrina is nominated for several awards. Whether or not she’ll preform, we don’t know…but make sure you’re voting for her regardless.
