Ben Affleck's Long Love Of Dunkin' Explained
Whether you are a celebrity or a mere mortal, if you live in New England, there's a good chance you are intimately familiar with Dunkin'. The franchise began in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and is headquartered in Canton. So it's no surprise that one of Massachusetts' most famous transplants, Ben Affleck, loves his Dunkin' too.
The two-time Academy Award winner might have been born in Berkeley, California, but he was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Despite his Hollywood fame, he remains loyal to his home teams and reportedly even blocked red carpet entrances for the premiere of his own film, "The Accountant," so he could watch the Red Sox play (via USA Today). Referred to as "the guy from Boston," the actor-slash-director spotlighted the city and Dunkin' in the film "Good Will Hunting." In various scenes, Affleck's character (Chuckie) brings the chain's coffee to Matt Damon's character (Will Hunting). And it was a Dunkin' location where Hunting asked, "How do you like them apples?" in one of the film's best-known scenes.
So when the coffee and donut chain decided to film a Super Bowl ad in Massachusetts, it made sense to enlist Affleck, who has frequently been photographed with cups that sport the chain's pink and orange logo. But his love of the brand is not an act.
Ben Affleck runs on Dunkin'
Ben Affleck's connection to Dunkin' runs deep. In an interview with People magazine, he discussed its significance in his childhood. Growing up outside of Boston, Affleck spent a lot of time there. After Little League games, the actor and his friends would head there for their favorite Munchkins. And since it was the place to be, he grew to believe it was "the best." As a teenager, Affleck enjoyed drinking Dunkin' coffee since it made him feel "a little grown-up" and sophisticated, further cementing his lifelong love of the brand.
The actor has seemingly been photographed countless times with a tray full of iced coffees. He has become a Dunkin' meme and fodder for Page Six of the New York Post. Per Entertainment Tonight, not long after the actor re-tied the knot with Jennifer Lopez, they were photographed locking lips after grabbing some Dunkin'. In fact, he was holding a Dunkin' bag in the picture. He has become so synonymous with the chain that in 2020, Dunkin's vice president of brand stewardship, Drayton Martin, declared, "We love Ben Affleck. ... He's obviously from the Boston area and a terrific brand ambassador, but that's his own doing" (via Business Insider).
Unsurprisingly, Dunkin' forms part of Affleck's morning routine. What's his order? "It's not all that exciting, really, " he told People. "It's just iced coffee, milk, and two sugars, sometimes Splenda."
Something's Ben brewing
Ben Affleck has a lot more options for coffee than when he was younger but remains loyal. "So, while I think it's great that they do all these other blends and all this other stuff, I kind of stick with the same coffee that got me here, so to speak," he told People magazine. The father of five children (three with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and two step-children with his wife Jennifer Lopez) appreciates the social aspect of drinking coffee. "I've always associated coffee with community and talking to friends — and conversations and socializing — which I think is part of the appeal."
Affleck was particularly social during his Dunkin' Super Bowl ad, which was developed by his and Matt Damon's production company, Artists Equity, and shot in Medford, Massachusetts. The campaign ran during the first have of the game and has received rave reviews from the industry and viewers alike. Adweek gave it a thumbs up and tweeted, "DUNKIN' | Turning Ben Affleck's meme-ified devotion to Dunkin' into a full-blown campaign was a smart move. And the final cameo from Jennifer Lopez is a truly delicious kicker." Perhaps more fun, however, are the outtakes that capture Affleck interacting with real customers in the Dunkin' drive-thru and having fun. He seemed to enjoy his day in Medford and sharing his longtime love, Dunkin', with his wife, Jenny from the Block.