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Dunkin'
Bill Rosenberg opened “Open Kettle” in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1948. He sold donuts for five cents and coffee for ten cents. No mascot. No character. Just fresh food and hot coffee.
Rosenberg renamed his shop “Dunkin’ Donuts” in 1950. The company added its first logo in 1953, with simple script letters. For six years, the brand relied on product quality. No major marketing campaigns.
This approach worked. Fresh donuts and reliable service built the foundation. Only after proving the concept did Rosenberg add mascots to the brand.
1954-1960
Dunkin’ Donuts created its first fast food mascot in 1954. Dunkie was a cheerful character made from the products themselves. He was designed with a donut head, coffee cup body, and chef’s hat. He winked at customers while holding a pan of fresh donuts.
The design was literal. Donut head, donut hands, donut feet, mug body. The mascot was the product. Simple.
Dunkie appeared anywhere, from storefronts, packages, to newspaper ads. The company filed for trademark protection in 1958 and registered the logo in 1961.
Dunkie retired in 1960. The company shifted to color-driven branding with hot pink as the signature shade. But the trademark remained.
1981-1997
Fred the Baker wasn’t a cartoon mascot—he was a man. Actor Michael Vale played the dedicated baker who said, “Time to make the donuts!” at dawn each day.
Vale beat 300 other actors for the role in 1982. The Ally & Gargano agency created Fred to show freshness and work ethic. He appeared in nearly 100 commercials over 15 years.
Fred became bigger than advertising. He represented American dedication. When he retired in 1997, Dunkin’ threw a parade through Boston and gave away 6 million donuts.
Fred’s words still appear on Dunkin’ boxes today. Vale died in 2005, but the slogan lives on.
1997-2006
After Fred retired, Dunkin’ Donuts dropped mascot marketing. The “America Runs on Dunkin’” campaign launched in 2006, focusing on lifestyle over characters.
Brief promotional figures appeared, but none stuck. The brand chose celebrity endorsements and lifestyle advertising over cartoon mascots.
Present
Today, Cuppy serves as Dunkin’s official mascot. The character is a large white coffee cup that appears at store openings and company events.
Cuppy travels nationwide for promotions. The mascot reflects the company’s shift from donuts to beverages. Unlike Dunkie’s detailed design, Cuppy stays simple and clean.
The character marks a return to mascot marketing after years without one. Cuppy supports the “Dunkin’” rebrand, putting coffee first.
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