Krispy Kreme Store Unlocks Five Secrets About Marketing to Jamaicans

The official grand opening of the new Krispy Kreme franchise in Kingston attracted a huge crowd of doughnut lovers on June 3, 2023, and it appears that the company has cracked Jamaica’s marketing code. Many of those queuing up hoped to be among the first 100 customers who would receive prizes. Prior to the grand opening, Krispy Kreme announced that the first through the 12th customer in line would receive 12 original glazed doughnuts every month for a year, while the 13th through 100th customers would receive the 12 free doughnuts monthly for three months.

“Are people really gonna…..” YUP!

The COUNTDOWN is ON SEE YOU TOMORROW FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF KRISPY KREME JAMAICA #KrispyKremeJamaica #Doughnut pic.twitter.com/alSLYP3cM1

— Krispy Kreme Jamaica (@krispykremejm) June 3, 2023

Jamaicans Love To Get Things For Free

A major attraction of Krispy Kreme’s debut in Jamaica was the opportunity to get doughnuts for free. The opening offered additional fun activities and musical performances that added to the festive atmosphere, but the main draw was free doughnuts.

Jamaicans Like Preferential Treatment

The competitive element associated with being one of the first 100 customers was also attractive to Jamaican customers. Those who succeeded in attaining the coveted places in line – some had been standing in line by as early as 4 am – gained bragging rights and elevated status among the doughnut lovers in addition to the tasty dozen free doughnut prizes awarded.

Jamaicans Engage With Brands On Social Media

Krispy Kreme made full use of the viral powers of social media when announcing and publicizing the grand opening on Waterloo Avenue in Kingston. An entire advertising campaign focused on the event, transforming what would have been just another business opening into a celebration. Both during and after the event, attendees posted videos of the crowd and the festivities on social media platforms that added to the excitement of the day.

Restaurant Associates Limited has a strong hold on the fast-food market in Jamaica with franchises for Burger King, Popeye’s and Little Caesar, two of which are located in a hub of American fast-food chain stores near the doughnut shop’s location. This offers the company additional brand recognition and provides a popularity springboard for the Krispy Kreme franchise, which already expects to open two more stores in Kingston by the end of 2023 and then expand to other parts of the country, according to Lisa Lake, CEO of Restaurant Associates.

Jamaicans Rely On Reviews From Influencers

When YouTube viewer Angelo commented, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy doughnuts. And that’s kind of the same thing” on a video of the grand opening posted by Jamaican MeMeLois on her channel, it is likely that her 1.2K followers felt the urge to get on down to Waterloo and get some Krispy Kremes. The vlogger herself admitted to changing her mind about not attending the opening when she saw the excitement building about it while scrolling through social media. Many other YouTubers posted videos of the crowds, their opinions about the crowds, and behind-the-scenes doughnut-making activities, all of which added to the festival atmosphere by publicizing and memorializing the event.

Crowd-Marketing Works In Jamaica

Conversations among Jamaicans on social media about the long lines at the Krispy Kreme opening fueled excitement and the momentum for others to join in and participate in what might be a don’t-miss event. The more people commented on the long lines, the more they to find out more about the long lines, and every time they did, they were exposed to comments and promotions about the Krispy Kreme brand. The opening was covered by multiple online sites, including Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, and by real-world sources like The Gleaner and Observer newspapers, and Radio Jamaica. The idea behind crowd marketing is to present customers with brand-oriented materials supported by respected sources, and in the case of the grand debut of Krispy Kreme in Jamaica, the crowd itself became a successful element in the brand’s marketing campaign.

Photo – Deposit Photos, Krispy Kreme

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