Dunkin’ Donuts announced the appointment of Frances Allen (Britchford) as Brand Marketing Officer. As the brand’s senior-most marketing executive, she will be responsible for the development and execution of Dunkin’ Donuts’ marketing strategies and initiatives, advertising, and new-product launches to further the brand’s growth worldwide.
Allen brings to Dunkin’ Donuts more than 20 years of consumer branding and food industry experience. She joins Dunkin’ Donuts from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, where as Vice President of Marketing she developed the company’s marketing strategy and implementation plans for the U.S. and Canada. Prior to Sony Ericsson, Allen was at PepsiCo where she served in a number of leadership roles. As Vice President of Innovation for Pepsi-Cola North America, she oversaw the development of new products, new packaging, equipment, and merchandising, subsequently directing Pepsi’s strategy and programs for health and wellness. At Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, she served as Director of International Advertising, spearheading the successful launch of the Lays, Doritos, and Cheetos brands into new global markets.
“Frances is a truly exceptional leader who brings to Dunkin’ Donuts invaluable marketing experience and expertise, as well as a global perspective that will be critical as we continue our company’s aggressive national and international expansion,” says Dunkin’ Donuts’ President Robert Rodriguez. “We are excited to welcome her to our marketing team and the Dunkin’ Donuts brand.”
Allen’s appointment coincides with the roll out of Dunkin’ Donuts’ expansion program. The company is expanding in existing markets while entering new cities throughout the country, with plans to ultimately triple the number of Dunkin’ Donuts stores in the U.S. to 15,000 by 2020. In the past month, the company announced its plans to open franchised restaurants in Las Vegas, Austin, Dallas, Phoenix, Tallahassee, and Panama City. Dunkin’ Donuts has also secured a number of high-profile partnerships to support this growth, including JetBlue, Proctor & Gamble, Rachael Ray, and SoBe.