Dunkin' Announces Name Change ... Ballpark Moniker Fate Unknown

HARTFORD, CT — The fate of the sign over the ballpark in Hartford is stuck in a corporate dugout for the time being, but the rest of the 500 or so Dunkin' Donuts shops across Connecticut are on the lineup card for a name change.

In a move announced Tuesday, the name will revert to simply Dunkin' as the official monicker.

"For almost 70 years, America has been running on Dunkin' ... It’s why we’re here," said Tony Weisman, the chief marketing officer for Dunkin’ U.S. "During that time we have built a strong relationship with our guests – a relationship similar to the ones people have with their friends. It’s time we take our relationship with our guests to the next level. We’re now moving to a first-name basis with America ... and, as a matter of fact, with the world.

The pink and orange colors will be maintained, as will the lettering font that was introduced in 1973, he said. The name change also points beyond the doughnuts to an expandced menu, he said.

"It also speaks to the breadth of our product offerings. We’re all about serving great coffee fast. But we’re also about donuts and baked goods and breakfast sandwiches," Weisman said.

The new branding will start to appear on packaging advertising, on the company website and on "social channels" beginning in January 2019, according to a letter to the public from Weisman.

The new Dunkin’ logo will also be featured on exterior and interior signage on all new and remodeled locations in the U.S. and, eventually, internationally, he said.

Dunkin' Brands

But what about Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford, a venue that was voted minor league ballpark of the year for two seasons now and has a gigantic sign just about welcoming folks to the downtown area?

Hartford Yard Goats spokesman Jeff Dooley said he received a statement from parent company Dunkin' Brands about "incoming inquiries about Dunkin’ Donuts Park."

The statement read, "We haven’t made any final decisions regarding the branding of the Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford.”

There are a total of 536 Dunkin' Donuts outlets in Connecticut, some semingly so close that one could thow a fastball between them. For example, in East Windsor near thre Interstate-91 and Route 140 interchange, there are three within about a quarter-mile of each other.

The current Dunkin' signs will be phased out in 2019 Chris Dehnel

To the extreme north, Enfield has eight. In the southwest corner, Greenwich has three - two on the Boston Post Road and one in Old Greenwich. There's a fourth if one counts the rest area on the Merritt Parkway, just this side of the New York-Connecticut Line.

Photo Credit: Dunkin' Brands (branding), Tim Jensen (ballpark) Chris Dehnel (store)

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