Dunkin's new color-changing drink is the epitome of "Experiential Product"
Sip it on the "ForYou" Page... It'll probably taste better on TikTok than it does in real life. Dunkin' just dropped the Sugarplum Macchiato, a "color-changing" new holiday drink with a light purple ombre effect (read: Insta-bait). When you shake it, the purple mixes with the coffee-colored part to create... a coffee-colored drink. This revolutionary beverage apparently took Dunkin' four years to develop. But it only took 24 hours to go viral (~400K TikTok views).
Unicorn Frapp energy.... Viral drinks are nothing new, from Starbucks' "Pink Drink" to multicolored frappucino monstrosities. But these time-intensive concoctions are scarce during the pandemic. Big chains have been streamlining to focus on simple classics they can get out fast for takeout and delivery.
- McDonald's kicked 100 items off its menu back in June (goodbye, salads).
- Starbucks is keeping its holiday menu simple — the star is Irish Cream Cold Brew (but is it color-changing?).
- Dunkin' hasn't made a "colored flavor swirl" drink since Valentine's Day (Pink Velvet Macchiato).
Experiential Products are the new Experiences... Pre-pandemic, people were splurging on experiences: Coachella tickets, a weekend Airbnb, a baseball game, or a $30 spin class. Now, the non-essential splurging has shifted to experiential products. That includes everything from Peloton bikes, to HelloFresh meal kits, and... Dunkin' Sugarplum Macchiatos.