DUNKIN’ AND MEGAN THEE STALLION FLEX HUMOUR IN ‘DUNK N’ PUMP’ PROTEIN CAMPAIGN

Dunkin’ teams up with Megan Thee Stallion for a playful fitness-themed campaign promoting its new Protein Refreshers. Directed by Luke Orlando with Artists Equity, the film casts Megan as “Pro-Tina,” a Jazzercise-style instructor, blending nostalgia, comedy, and celebrity flair as Dunkin’ enters the growing functional beverage space with an entertainment-first approach.  

Dunkin’ has turned up both the humour and the heat for its latest product push, unveiling a new campaign with rapper Megan Thee Stallion that spotlights the brand’s Protein Refreshers through a comedic workout fantasy. Written by LBB’s Ben Conway, the collaboration plays out as a tongue-in-cheek fitness film that takes cues from retro Jazzercise tapes and modern social media energy, all wrapped in a bright pop culture sheen.

Titled Dunk N’ Pump, the campaign casts Megan in a new persona: “Pro-Tina,” a high-octane workout instructor who leads a pastel-colored workout class powered by Dunkin’s protein-packed beverages. The Protein Refreshers—positioned as a new functional extension of Dunkin’s beverage lineup—become the fuel of the dance-forward routine, creating a visual narrative that links wellness trends with unabashed fun. It’s an intentional subversion of the often serious and aspirational tone that dominates fitness marketing; here, exercise is exaggerated, campy, and accessible, with Megan delivering a performance that bridges parody and empowerment.

The campaign carries a significant creative pedigree behind the camera as well. It was directed by Luke Orlando from SixTwentySix, and produced with Artists Equity, the production studio founded by Hollywood collaborators Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. That partnership signals Dunkin’s growing interest in the entertainment-masquerading-as-advertising approach—part of a broader industry strategy in which brands increasingly commission cinematic shorts and personality-driven content to break through crowded digital spaces.

Megan’s involvement flips the expected celebrity endorsement dynamic. Rather than simply lending star power, she anchors the tone of the piece—stylising Pro-Tina with exaggerated pep, comedic timing, and ironic sincerity. Those qualities mirror the internet’s ongoing love affair with nostalgic 1980s and 90s fitness aesthetics, now revived through TikTok filters, costume parties, and aerobics-themed workouts. The creative team leans into that lexicon with neon colour palettes, rhythmic editing, and an abundance of spandex and sweatbands.

Beyond the comedy, the campaign reflects Dunkin’s attempt to compete more directly in the functional beverage space. Fitness-adjacent drinks have become a high-growth category, driven by younger consumers seeking protein-boosted coffees, teas, and smoothies as part of their daily routines rather than post-gym rituals. In that context, the Protein Refreshers introduce a lighter, more flavour-forward option compared to the coffee-based protein blends typical in cafés and supplement shops. Using humour to pitch that shift allows Dunkin’ to sidestep the hyper-serious framing used by protein-forward wellness brands.

The entertainment-first approach also demonstrates the influence of Artists Equity, a studio created with the explicit mission of giving creative talent more ownership and involvement in advertising projects. Damon and Affleck’s involvement has increasingly attracted notable on-screen talent, exemplified by Dunkin’s earlier Super Bowl collaborations with Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Megan’s appearance continues that playbook—pairing celebrity personas with self-aware storytelling that intentionally blurs the line between brand work and pop culture.

For Dunkin’, the gamble is that entertainment value drives memorability and social shareability. Fitness parody has always been fertile ground for virality, offering exaggerated visuals that clip well for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. It positions Megan as both a mascot and a co-conspirator—someone who is in on the joke while helping guide the audience through it. That dynamic also aligns with her public persona, which mixes confidence, humor, and unapologetic self-presentation.

In recent years, categories like energy drinks, sports beverages, and protein-infused options have expanded beyond gyms into daily consumption. Dunkin’s positioning of its Protein Refreshers as fun, flavorful, and social-first acknowledges that functional beverages have become lifestyle markers rather than niche fitness solutions. With Dunk N’ Pump, the brand is less concerned with selling a specific utility and more focused on selling a vibe—one defined by energy, amusement, and cultural fluency.

As brand marketers continue to chase cultural currency, partnerships like this reveal how advertising is evolving. Instead of anchoring promotions in messaging or claims, campaigns are increasingly anchored in entertainment value and creative collaborators—whether musicians, actors, or filmmakers. Dunkin’s collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, Damon, and Affleck exemplifies that pivot, turning a product launch into a hybrid of pop culture moment, parody, and beverage marketing.

With Dunk N’ Pump, Dunkin’ bets that protein can be playful, fitness can be funny, and a drink can become a character in a workout routine. If early reactions are any indication, it’s a bet that audiences—and algorithms—may reward.