You may have already seen the Captain America: The First Avenger food and beverages at Dunkin Donuts across the nation but it turns out the company is going one step farther than the run of the mill movie promotions. Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins are teaming with Marvel and Facebook for a contest celebrating the U.S. military.
With all the wacky promotional tie-ins we see these days, this one seems like a breath of fresh air. It’s called “America’s Super Soldiers.” From the press release:
Beginning today through July 15, 2011, fans can visit Dunkin’ Donuts’ or Baskin-Robbins’ official Facebook pages to nominate a veteran or active serviceperson, answering short questions about why their Super-Soldier is making a difference in their hometown and/or the communities in which they serve. The grand prize winning Super-Soldier, as selected by Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and a representative from the USO, will win a cash prize of $5,000, a new high-definition television, a new Blu-Ray DVD player and a selection of DVD movies in which Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins products are featured. And as a thank you, the nominator of the grand prize winner will also win a $1,000 cash prize and a $100 Dunkin’ Donuts Card. Please visit the [Facebook app page] for official rules.
“Dunkin’ Brands is thrilled to partner with Marvel Studios to bring the excitement of Captain America: The First Avenger to our guests, and we are particularly proud that our America’s Super-Soldiers contest provides an opportunity to continue our tradition of recognizing both U.S. veterans and active servicemen and women who give selflessly,” said John Costello, Chief Global Marketing and Innovation Officer at Dunkin’ Brands. “We hope everyone will help us recognize these real-life heroes whose commitment to our local communities makes such a difference to so many people,” he said. The chain is also holding an instant win game and sweepstakes to win a trip to a Marvel film premiere in 2012 on their official website.
Besides putting a charitable spin on what is normally a pure promotional tool, I think it’s fantastic they actually have the USO involved in this too. Of course, if you don’t know of anyone to nominate you can still get a huge sugar rush with a Captain America Coollata in a First Avenger Tri-Cup, a Captain America Donut or a Stars & Stripes donut at participating locations.
