In marketing, there is arguably no better way to bring in an abundance of business than collaborating with celebrities, whether it is for a new line of fashion or a specialized meal. Recently, fast food chains have been taking advantage of these celebrity collaborations to create trends and increase profits. Some celebrity and fast food chain partnerships include Travis Scott’s McDonald’s meal, Megan Thee Stallion’s Popeyes Hot Sauce, Charli D’Amelio’s Dunkin’ Drink, BTS and McDonald’s meal, and the most recent being none other than Ice Spice’s new Munchkin’s drink at Dunkin’.
If there is one thing that will never go out of style, it is celebrity endorsement. Although some trendy products such as slime eventually lose popularity through time, an endorsement from a celebrity who is at the peak of their popularity is the best way to bring a new wave of consumers.
For example, when McDonald’s released the Travis Scott meal in 2020, McDonald’s sales surged 2.2 percent during 2020—during a time where other fast food chains were struggling—and had earnings of $2.22 per share as stated by the Associated Press. With these earnings being much higher than projected, it is clear that both the Travis Scott meal and other meals to follow bring in millions of dollars from new consumers and those sharing the campaign ads online.
The success of celebrity marketing is evident with the release of the Ice Spice Munchkin’s Drink on Sept. 13, 2023, a collaboration between Dunkin’ and popular rapper Ice Spice. Dunkin’s twist on a classic pumpkin drink, endorsed by one of the biggest rappers of the year, enticed a fresh audience of eager buyers. Many who bought the drink posted their thoughts to social media apps, such as TikTok, gaining further popularity for the drink and persuading people to try it themselves.
Ignoring the possibility of a stomach-ache from the nearly 200 grams of sugar in each drink, the collaboration has been an internet success.
Senior Danielle Beattie of Wall Township was one of the many people influenced by Dunkin’s marketing with Ice Spice.
“I saw on Instagram that there was a new Ice Spice drink at Dunkin’ and honestly, I don’t even like Dunkin’ all that much but I love Ice Spice so I felt like I had to try it,” Beattie said.
Despite their popularity, do celebrity fast food collaborations actually taste any good? Senior Kiera Young of Neptune was disappointed by the sugary flavor of the munchkin drink.
“It was super sweet and tasted like artificial coffee and an overload of caramel,” Young said. “After about ten minutes I couldn’t even finish it because it was nauseating.”
With convincing marketing and endorsements from those with a huge influence, the taste is not nearly as important to consumers as the “hype” of the celebrity.
Although the food and drinks that come out of celebrity collaborations are never known to be healthy or delicious, it is the experience and excitement surrounding the item that makes people want to try it. Due to the success of such collaborations, it is safe to say that there will be many more in the near future.
