PPB July 2019

BRANDABLE Boston Runs On Dunkin’ The fast-food chain partners with Saucony to design a branded shoe for the 2019 Boston Marathon. You typically wouldn’t associate Dunkin’—and the fast-food chain’s delicious ensemble of sugary, jelly-filled, sprinkle-speckled donuts—with running. But in light of the 2019 Boston Marathon, Dunkin’ showed pride for its home city by partnering with footwear brand Saucony, also Boston-based, to launch a limited-edition, branded running shoe in Dunkin’s signature hot pink, orange and white colors. Saucony brought to the table—or rather, to the pavement—a redesign of its Kinvara 10 model, a lightweight running shoe designed on Dunkin’s website as a “cult favorite,” featuring the footwear brand’s EVERUN cushioning, which offers runners more flexibility and long-lasting, robust comfort. This was the second consecutive year the brands partnered to design a running shoe, though last year’s model, the Kinvara 9, was subtler, featuring a donut and sprinkle design on the heel. This year, the shoe was adorned with a large, bold logo design on the sides and back, with additional details including a strawberry- frosted donut medallion attached to the laces, a tongue festooned with coffee cups, the city’s name “Boston” inscribed on a safety-reflective strip on the heel and three sets of laces in white, orange and hot pink. The packaging for the shoe, which sold out weeks prior to the race, was reminiscent of a traditional Dunkin’ donut box. The shoes were available on Saucony’s website—$120 for men’s and women’s shoes, $65 for kids’ shoes— along with men’s and women’s “Boston Runnah” tees for $25—as well as at Marathon Sports stores in Massachusetts, and at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo. SELLING POINT AMatchMade In Marketing Heaven Augmented reality allows consumers to interact with campaigns. We’ve all heard the term “augmented reality.” And many of us have likely downloaded and experienced some of its key features. But what is it, really? Differing from virtual reality, augmented reality (AR) allows consumers to interact directly with a brand, campaign or promotion in a virtual space. Simply put: using a smart phone or related device, AR can change the look of the user’s surroundings or add key features to it. An article in Food Processing offers the example of a grocery aisle void of promotions, but after downloading an app and looking at the aisle again on the screen, users can see these promotions, along with recipe cards and other marketing initiatives visible only through the app. Not only does AR offer an innovative way to propose promotions, but to enhance experiences. Meow Wolf, an immersive experiences destination in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is an artistic walkthrough complemented by a sci-fi story, inviting participants to search for clues and solve a mystery. The experience is coupled by an AR phone app, which identifies anomalies hidden throughout the walkthrough that are only viewable through a smart phone. When located, these anomalies provide the user with additional clues. continued on page 72 70 | JULY 2019 | THINK