Dollars to donuts…Krispy Kreme’s PR move worked like a charm

Krispy Kreme is giving away a free donut a day to anyone who shows up at one of their locations and shows proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. And it’s not a one-day promo, it will extend through the balance of 2021.

Straight up smart PR.

Chances are, you’ve already heard about this, because it’s been everywhere. It’s a simple, easy-to-understand idea at a relevant time. Low-cost, incredibly high reward from a brand awareness perspective. No huge operational challenges. It also highlights and pushes awareness around vaccinations, and perhaps even motivates the public to get a few more shots in arms. Wins all around. Applause all around from a brand comms perspective.

Now, I can deal without the medical professionals coming out of the woodwork to chastise the promotion and start calculating how many pounds someone would put on if they had an extra glazed KK donut every single day for the rest of 2021. Or those same blowhards talking about the obesity epidemic in this country.

True and true. Lighten up, though.

It’s a smart PR move to get folks in the door.

Well done, Krispy Kreme. Ignore the haters. They can stick a donut in their piehole.