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Crumbl Cookies: Strategy, Branding, and Growth
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BUSI 520: Strategic Marketing Management
Dr. Lorna DeShay
February 12, 2025
Q1: Explain the organization’s product plan.
Crumbl Cookies maintains a dynamic product strategy centered around a rotating menu.
Each week, they introduce new and unique cookie flavors, creating a sense of anticipation and
excitement among customers. This approach not only keeps the product offering fresh, but it
also encourages repeat visits as customers are eager to try the latest creations. This strategy,
often referred to as a "hype cycle," has become trademark of their marketing, effectively
engaging their customer base (QSR Magazine, n.d.). Additionally, product planning is a critical
component of marketing management, as it helps align product offerings with consumer
demand while maintaining a competitive advantage (Marshall & Johnston, 2020).
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Q2: Explain the product’s/service’s current life cycle stage.
Crumbl Cookies is currently in the growth stage of its product life cycle. Since its
founding in 2017, the company has experienced rapid expansion, growing to over 1,000
locations across the United States and Canada by 2024. This rapid franchising and increasing
market presence indicate that Crumbl is still expanding its reach and attracting new customers,
characteristic of the growth stage (Crumbl Cookies, n.d.). As discussed in the marketing
literature, during the growth stage, businesses focus on brand differentiation, expanding
distribution channels, and increasing market penetration to sustain long-term success (Marshall
& Johnston, 2020).
Q3: Discuss viable techniques of building the equity of the brand.
Crumbl has effectively built brand equity through several key techniques:
Social Media Engagement: By maintaining an active presence on platforms like TikTok
and Instagram, Crumbl engages with a broad audience, particularly younger demographics.
Their weekly flavor announcements and interactive content foster a strong online community
(QSR Magazine, n.d.).
Consistent Branding: The use of distinctive pink boxes and a recognizable logo ensures
that customers can easily identify Crumbl products, reinforcing brand recognition and loyalty
(Latterly, n.d.).
Customer Experience: By focusing on creating a memorable in-store experience and
maintaining high product quality, Crumbl ensures customer satisfaction, which leads to positive
reviews and repeat business. Strong brand equity allows a company to have premium pricing,
build customer loyalty, and create a competitive advantage in the market (Keller, 1993).
Q4: Discuss several branding decisions recently made or appropriate to make.
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In November 2023, Crumbl undertook a significant rebranding initiative. They introduced
a new logo, updated their color scheme, and refreshed their visual identity. The new logo
features the word "Crumbl" in black on a custom typeface called Crumbl Sans, removing the
word "cookies" and the baker symbol. The brand's pink color was also enhanced to appear
warmer and richer. This rebrand was part of a strategy to diversify Crumbl's product range and
appeal to a broader market (Crumbl Cookies, n.d.).
Additionally, Crumbl has engaged in strategic collaborations to enhance its brand image.
For instance, in early 2025, they partnered with the Jonas Brothers to launch a limited-time
cookie featuring Rob's Backstage Caramel Popcorn (Mast, 2025). Such collaborations not only
introduce the brand to new audiences but also keep the product offerings exciting and culturally
relevant to trends (QSR Magazine, n.d.). As branding experts emphasize, companies must
continually evolve their brand strategies to maintain relevance and strengthen customer
connections in a dynamic marketplace (Keller, 1993).
Q5: Discuss organizational efforts at customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
Crumbl places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, which in turn creates loyalty
and retention. Their rotating menu of cookie flavors is innovative and creative, encouraging
customers to return regularly to try new flavors. This strategy not only keeps the customer base
engaged but also attracts newcomers who are interested in the latest flavors (QSR Magazine,
n.d.).
Additionally, Crumbl's active engagement on social media platforms allows them to
interact directly with customers, addressing feedback in a timely manner and building a
community around their brand. This direct communication helps to understand customer
preferences and enhance the overall customer experience (Latterly, n.d.). Research indicates
that customer loyalty is built through emotional connections, brand trust, and consistent
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positive experiences, all of which are core elements of Crumbl’s strategy (Claudy et al., 2015). By
continuing to focus on these strategies, Crumbl can successfully cultivate a loyal customer base
and continue to thrive in the competitive cookie market.
References
Marshall, G. W., & Johnston, M. W. (2020). Marketing management (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill
Education.
Claudy, M. C., Garcia, R., & O'Driscoll, A. (2015). Consumer resistance to innovation—a
behavioral reasoning perspective. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 99, 170-182.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162516300270
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity.
Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22.
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/10610429510097690/full/html
Crumbl Cookies. (n.d.). Our story. Retrieved from https://crumblcookies.com/our-story
QSR Magazine. (n.d.). Crumbl Cookies rises as emerging brand category leader. Retrieved from
https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/crumbl-cookies-rises-emerging-brand-
categoryleader/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Latterly. (n.d.). Crumbl Cookies marketing strategy. Retrieved from
https://www.latterly.org/crumbl-cookies-marketing-strategy/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Mast, F. (2025, January 22). Crumbl’s new Jonas Brothers cookie has fans rushing to try it. Eat
This, Not That. https://www.eatthis.com/crumbl-jonas-brothers-cookie-release/
