• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, June 28, 2011

Dunkin' Donuts is implementing its first movie tie-ins through a partnership with Marvel Studios on "Captain America: The First Avenger" (release date: July 22).  

Sister chain Baskin-Robbins is also participating in "Captain America" tie-ins, but this isn't Baskin's first movie partnership.

One element of the integrated campaign: The two brands, with support from the USO, have launched "America's Super-Soldiers," a co-branded, Facebook-hosted contest. (In the movie, Captain America is created as part of a secret "Super-Soldiers" project.)

Through July 15, fans who visit the Dunkin' or Baskin Facebook pages can nominate current members of the military or veterans as "Super-Soldiers," based on nominees' contributions to their hometowns or the communities in which they are stationed. The grand-prize-winning "Super-Soldier" will win $5,000, an HDTV, a Blu-Ray DVD player and a selection of DVD movies in which Dunkin' and Baskin products are featured. In addition, the nominator of the grand prize winner will receive $1,000 and a $100 Dunkin' gift card.

Leading up to the movie's launch, the two chains also have introduced movie-themed menu items supported by television, radio, out-of-home and online advertising.

Dunkin's offerings include star-shaped and Stars & Stripes donuts and a Captain America Coolatta. The beverage is available in a tri-partitioned, limited-edition First Avenger cup that lets customers try three different flavors in the same cup.

Three versions of the same TV spot (60-, 30- and 15-second formats) will support Dunkin's movie-themed offerings, starting with the 60-second spot, running June 27 through July 30. The creative depicts a construction worker who is sipping a Captain America Coolatta suddenly becoming something of an action hero as he makes a spectacular rescue of a young woman's pet dog. The end of the spot running now provides a sneak preview of the "Captain America" movie. The Dunkin' spot is also viewable on the brand's Facebook page and YouTube.

Baskin-Robbins -- which is offering Super-Soldier Swirl as its July flavor of the month, as well as Super-Soldier and Hydra Force sundaes and Captain America Ice Cream Cake -- will also have a supporting TV spot and other media integrations.

The movie partnership is an extension of Dunkin's ongoing support of American servicemen and women. The chain has donated more than 175,000 pounds of coffee to troops deployed overseas since May 2003, holding a monthly drawing to randomly select at least 50 U.S. military members who each receive a case of Dunkin' coffee. During the holiday season, Dunkin' Brands' corporate employees send additional pounds of coffee to the troops.