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How Dunkin’s Hilarious Spider Donut Memes Are Winning Halloween (and What Creative Entrepreneurs Can Learn)

Unhinged Humor Drives Engagement: Lessons from Dunkin’s Wildly Successful Halloween Campaign

Dunkin’ isn’t just serving donuts this Halloween—they’re serving laughs and grabbing major attention with their unhinged, off-the-wall meme campaign for the limited-edition Spider Donut. So far, the Spider Donut has attracted over 300K likes on Instagram and racked up over half a million views on TikTok, proving that humor—when done right—can be a powerful tool to boost engagement and connect with audiences in a fresh, relatable way. And I'm here for the comments. Hail to the queen that's coming up with their content <insert bow>.


As creative entrepreneurs, there’s a lot to learn from Dunkin’s approach. Here’s how this wild, spooky meme campaign struck a chord with audiences and what you can take away to make your own content pop.


The Power of Unhinged Humor: Dunkin’s Halloween Strategy

Dunkin’s Spider Donut campaign is designed for pure fun and laughs. Unlike traditional, polished ads, the brand opted for a scrappy, meme-driven approach that feels authentic, unfiltered, and bold. The memes are laugh-out-loud funny, featuring the Spider Donut in absurd scenarios with ridiculous captions that tap into Halloween humor and the bizarre vibe people love on social media.

Why It Works: Dunkin’s Secrets to Viral Success

Dunkin’s Spider Donut campaign isn’t an accident—it’s a carefully crafted example of how humor and authenticity can make a brand relatable, especially during a holiday like Halloween when people are primed for fun. Here’s why this campaign works:

  1. They Embrace Halloween’s Quirkiness

    Halloween is already a time for the weird, spooky, and unexpected. Dunkin’s “unhinged” memes fit perfectly into the season’s mood, allowing the brand to celebrate the holiday in a way that’s authentic and shareable.

    Takeaway for Creative Entrepreneurs: Holidays are a prime time to get a little quirky. Embrace the spirit of the season and let your brand’s personality shine in ways that make people laugh or do a double-take.

  2. Engagement-Driven Content

    By focusing on humor, Dunkin made the Spider Donut campaign extremely shareable. People love content that’s easy to like, comment on, and share with friends. Dunkin’s bold meme approach means followers are tagging friends, sharing posts, and amplifying the campaign’s reach organically.

    Takeaway for Creative Entrepreneurs: Think beyond standard product photos. Content that’s fun, witty, or emotionally engaging is more likely to be shared. Consider incorporating humor or emotion into your posts to encourage interaction.

  3. They Keep It Short, Sweet, and Funny

    The best memes don’t take long to “get.” Dunkin’s Spider Donut memes are quick, simple, and pack a punch without being complicated. This approach makes them perfect for platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where users scroll quickly and want content that’s easy to digest.

    Takeaway for Creative Entrepreneurs: Brevity is key on social media. Think of ways to convey your message quickly and visually, so people can grasp the concept at a glance and feel compelled to react or share.

  4. Lean Into Absurdity

    Dunkin’s memes don’t take themselves too seriously, making the brand feel approachable. Humor with a bit of absurdity (like a donut with candy eyes becoming a “spider”) captures attention and allows brands to get creative with their storytelling.

    Takeaway for Creative Entrepreneurs: Don’t be afraid to let loose with your content! Sometimes a little absurdity or playfulness is what it takes to stand out. Think about how you can add a playful twist to your marketing, especially if it reflects the product’s unique qualities or the holiday spirit.

  5. Leveraging Multi-Platform Presence

    Dunkin’s campaign is doing well across platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where their audience is already engaging with humorous, snackable content. By tapping into the specific strengths of each platform, Dunkin maximizes reach and engagement.

    Takeaway for Creative Entrepreneurs: Tailor your content to each platform. What works on TikTok might differ from Instagram, so adapt to the strengths of each channel while keeping the campaign’s core message consistent.

How to Apply Dunkin’s Tactics to Your Own Campaigns

Ready to bring some Dunkin-style Halloween fun to your brand? Here are three steps to get started:

  1. Brainstorm a Halloween Twist Think about how your products could be incorporated into a Halloween-themed campaign. Can you give them a “spooky” personality or add a funny Halloween backstory? Get creative and let the season inspire some outside-the-box ideas.

  2. Create Relatable, Shareable Content Memes work well because they’re inherently shareable. Create content that’s relatable and easy to tag a friend in. Humor and simplicity are a winning combination for shareable posts.

  3. Engage with Comments and Encourage Interaction Dunkin has created a two-way conversation with its fans by responding to comments and even encouraging followers to make their own Spider Donut memes. Engage with your audience actively to build community and increase engagement.

Final Thoughts: Bring the Fun to Your Brand

Dunkin’s Spider Donut campaign proves that you don’t need to take yourself too seriously to create a memorable, high-engagement campaign. By mixing humor with a bit of absurdity and a good dose of Halloween spirit, Dunkin has shown the value of unfiltered, laugh-out-loud content that resonates.


For creative entrepreneurs, Dunkin’s campaign is a reminder to let your personality shine and lean into seasonal fun. So, get spooky, get funny, and watch your audience respond! This Halloween, let your brand’s sense of humor be the trick—and the treat. 🎃

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