What Is the Marketing Strategy for Krispy Kreme?
Krispy Kreme uses a bare-bones marketing strategy that relies on word-of-mouth marketing by its satisfied customers, in addition to cause marketing. The company uses its friendly employees, who are trained to provide excellent customer service and market the company, as its main marketing tool. It also uses social media.
Krispy Kreme connects with its customers through social media as an extension of its word-of-mouth marketing strategy. The company has 4.5 million fans on Facebook, as of 2014. The company is also heavily involved in local community outreach programs, where it donates doughnuts to raise funds for community initiatives and to market its products. The company also uses the unique design of its stores, which allows customers to view the making of doughnuts, as a marketing strategy.
Some analysts state that the company’s strategy is not sustainable, because a company cannot rely on the same product for decades. Krispy Kreme has made minimal changes to its marketing strategy since the company was started. The company’s management is confident that the marketing strategy is sustainable over the long term.
Krispy Kreme is increasing its retail operations by opening more stores across the country, while downsizing wholesale operations due to the associated costs. As of 2014, the company has diversified its offerings by selling coffee-related products such as mocha Kreme doughnuts and mocha iced coffee.
