“We thought we were just adding a little extra sugar to the mix,” Hoffmann explained with a wistful smile that suggested Dunkin’ might never be able to sugarcoat this situation enough. “We never imagined that supporting equal rights and diversity would lead to people boycotting their morning coffee. But… here we are.”
The campaign, which included slogans like “Love is sweet, and so are we,” and a donut adorned with the colors of the rainbow flag, seemed harmless to most—just another brand hopping on the social justice bandwagon. But as the campaign spread, so did the hashtags. #GoWokeGoBroke began trending on social media within hours, with many customers taking offense not to the message of love, but to the perceived political undertones of their once-neutral, comforting coffee stop.
What Dunkin’ failed to realize is that in the era of culture wars, nothing is sacred—especially not your morning brew. Within days of launching the campaign, a wave of conservative influencers and MAGA supporters began calling for a boycott, accusing Dunkin’ of turning its back on its core, doughnut-loving demographic.
