Dunkin' Donuts has rolled out new interactive Web tools and an iPhone application to create a social group ordering experience for its customers as part of the Dunkin' Run campaign.

Dunkin' Donuts is promoting its coffee and baked goods with wired and mobile Web sites and an iPhone app that will let customers solicit and place group orders, thus encouraging a viral element with the goal of driving traffic to its stores. "Runners" can initiate a group order at http://www.dunkinrun.com using their computer, http://m.dunkinrun.com on their mobile device or via the app, which is available as a free download in the iTunes App Store.

"Our campaign theme is America Runs on Dunkin', we provide food and drink for busy, on-the-go people, so portability is built into all of our product propositions, and Dunkin' Run is a great extension of that," Cynthia Ashworth, vice president of consumer engagement for Dunkin' Donuts, Canton, MA.

"It helps make ordering easier and uses the latest technology to enable something that's already been happening organically, ?I'm going on a Dunkin' Run, who's in?' so we're helping our customers do something they already love to do," she said. "The way mobile is being used by people is becoming much more of a utility -- they're not just talking on the phone.

"The iPhone app has some extra bells and whistles, like a store locator."

Dunkin' Brands Inc.'s Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in coffee, donuts, bagels and muffins, and claims to be the largest coffee and baked-goods chain in the world.

The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion.

The Dunkin' Run campaign features interactive alerts that are sent to a consumer's list of friends or coworkers, telling them when a trip to Dunkin' Donuts is planned along with a personal message inviting them to place an order online.

Invitees can view the Dunkin' Donuts menu to place their order, and registered users can select from their own personal list of favorites and/or previous orders.

All Dunkin' Donuts core foods and beverages are presented using interactive product images to let consumers personalize their order.

All of the orders are integrated onto a single screen. Runners can either print the page or bring their iPhone or other Web-enabled mobile device to any Dunkin' Donuts store.

Dunkin' Donuts crew members will use this checklist to fulfill orders and ensure order accuracy.

The runner can also use this page as a checklist to ensure that everyone in the group gets what he or she ordered.

Dunkin' Run was a joint collaboration between Dunkin' Donuts and its advertising and digital agencies of record, Hill Holliday and Studiocom, respectively.

Dunkin' Donuts conceived of Dunkin' Run as a social application based on the idea of reciprocity -- ?I'll get your coffee today and hopefully you'll get mine tomorrow.'

The current campaign comes on the heels of the launch of Perks Mobile, a text-messaging component to Dunkin' Donuts loyalty program, on April 21 in conjunction with Iced Coffee Day.

In-store signage delivers the call-to-action for Perks Mobile: "Text keyword PERKS and your email address to short code 386546 (DUNKIN) to enroll in DD Perks."

Dunkin' Donuts sends SMS alerts to consumers who opted into its mobile database.

Dunkin' Donuts sent the following text message on Iced Coffee Day: "Today is Iced Coffee Day, all day. Get a 50 cent Iced Coffee & support Homes For Our Troops. StdMsgChrgsApply. Txt HELP 4 info."

"We've integrated mobile into our marketing initiatives, and mobile is the perfect channel for Dunkin' Run, because it helps people connect when they're on the go," Ms. Ashworth said. "Our mobile platforms have an engaging, user-friendly interface.

"We have a very broad demographic in general for Dunkin' Donuts -- we are very much an everyman mass brand -- but within that, Dunkin' Run is targeted at a segment that is a bit more involved with technology and very aware that it can make everyday stuff easier and more fun," she said.

Nationally, Dunkin' Donuts' focus is on blogger outreach and direct mailing to influencers, in addition to in-store signage and the built-in viral component.

In Boston, Dunkin' Donuts' home market and its most penetrated large market, the Dunkin' Run campaign includes online ads, radio ads, radio promotions giving away preloaded Dunkin' Donuts gift cards, elevator advertising in downtown Boston office buildings and a mailing to the top members of its loyalty programs.

The company is also leveraging the social networking phenomenon by promoting the campaign on its Facebook and Twitter fan pages.

"We're running our first 'Tweet Up' featuring Dunkin' Dave," Ms. Ashworth said.