Dunkin’ Donuts and Saucony Team Up for Running Shoes Release

Dunkin' Donuts and Saucony are paying tribute to the Boston Marathon through their collaboration. | Credit: Wikipedia

Considering how creative many companies are, I love labeling myself as a what-will-they-think-of-next consumer. My curiosity ends up rewarded with appealing product lines or intriguing one-offs that remind me of the joys of letting our minds run wild. Dunkin’ Donuts and Saucony know the benefits of such freedom and are teaming to set more than imaginations on journeys, as today marks the first day that end-users can pre-order the duo’s Kinvara 9 sneakers.

With the Boston Marathon set for April 16, the Massachusetts-based entities crafted the running shoe as an homage to the participants through a partnership that one might deem a head scratcher—the Quincy-situated Dunkin’ Donuts has a reputation as a potential enemy to waistlines, and the Lexington-headquartered Saucony is known as a fitness-focused business. However, as Bustle points out, entrants need ample calories to cover the 26.2-mile endeavor, and often rely on Dunkin's beverages before the race and its eponymous treats as post-effort rewards. Therefore, this marketing move makes perfect sense, and is giving the two not only an opportunity to commend the Patriot Day course coverers, but also a chance to present a pretty colorful rarity.

https://twitter.com/saucony/status/978616785858592768

Giving “America Runs on Dunkin’” a literal spin, the lightweight product teems with well-executed details, such as the placement of sprinkles (“jimmies” to us in Philadelphia) and doughnuts on its exterior, with the phrase appearing on a reflective stripe. Thanks to a news release’s mention of “iced coffee and hot coffee insoles” and a “frosted donut heel,” the tribute commodity is not short on originality, and continues an interesting trend that finds food franchises offering footwear options.

This collaboration, whose brainchild features Dunkin’ Donuts’ triple hue colorway and initials on the tongue, three sets of laces, and Saucony’s notable silver logo, provides consumers with what Bostonians might dub a “wicked-awesome” occasion to enhance their style while also acknowledging their penchant for a time-tested operation. Dunkin’ Donuts will always be a scalding hot enterprise, and, from a promotional point of view, this campaign figures to find consumers easily parting with $110 to secure the sneakers, fewer than 2,000 of which, according to USA Today, will be available.

Come a week from today, the companies will probably gain some serious traction through the shoes’ first shipments. I usually do not even glimpse the Boston Marathon, but I might have a change of heart this year, as I am eager to see if any would-be winners or just-here-to-have-fun participants go gallivanting with a little extra pep in their steps. It might also be interesting to see what kind of product placement occurs come race day, especially since a 2014 Boston Globe study showed that only New York has more Dunkin’ Donuts sites than Massachusetts does.