CarMax Invites Customers to 'Do Donuts'

by Jason R. Sakurai

Published: April 12th, 2021

CarMax has invited customers to ‘do donuts’ during their test drives, a promotion with Dunkin’ Donuts. For shoppers who take part in CarMax’s 24-hour test drives today through May 16th, they’ll receive a $10 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card.

What encouragement does the general public need to do donuts in CarMax vehicles? The vision of drivers fueled on sugar and caffeine hot lapping used cars is laughable but entirely possible.

“At CarMax, we believe the car-buying experience should be as enjoyable as possible,” said Sarah Lane, vice president, marketing at CarMax. “We want customers to experience a day in their life with their new ride. Since America Runs on Dunkin’, we know that includes a trip through the Dunkin’ drive-thru for their favorite order. Collaborating with Dunkin’ on “Doin’ Donuts” makes CarMax’s 24-Hour Test Drive experience that much sweeter.”

CarMax customers also receive a checklist of ideas of what to do with the vehicle for 24 hours. This includes taking your dog for a drive, packing the trunk to ensure things fit, and going through a drive-through to see if you have enough cupholders. No word on whether they ding you for pet hair, grass, or sprinkles found in the car upon its return from the test drive. Apparently, this was Dunkin’ Donuts’ thinking, too.

“You never know if a car is right for you until you’ve taken it through a Dunkin’ drive-thru,” said Dunkin’s Melanie Rabino. “Making sure your vehicle’s cup holders perform perfectly is the perfect test.”

The other type of donuts, the unsanctioned kind, were not mentioned by either CarMax nor Dunkin’. This promotion marks the second time in recent weeks where CarMax has amped up its media presence.

[Images: CarMax]

#Advertising #CarMax #DoDonuts #Dunkin'Donuts #EatWhileYouDrive #Marketing #Promotions #UsedCars

Jason R. Sakurai

With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.

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3 of 8 comments

Inside Looking Out on Apr 12, 2021

"I found more relevant news at random this morning: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/04/biden-planning-to-pour-100-billion-worth-of-rebates-onto-evs/#comment-10002676" Bidon is too cheap. I challenge him - make it trillion -now we are talking. We will beat China in no time.

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APaGttH on Apr 12, 2021

I sure hope in the small print that test driving a Mustang is exempt from the offer...

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- Garrett on Apr 13, 2021
  
  You misspelled AMG!
  
  Like

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