Dunkin’ dropped a new ad last week starring “The Summer I Turned Pretty” actor Gavin Casalegno, and it has sparked some online discourse.
The coffee shop chain released the commercial July 29, with a couple of new menu items, and some people are drawing comparisons between this ad and a recent, widely discussed American Eagle ad.
Many critics honed in on the mention of Casalegno’s “genetics” in the 35-second spot advertising the new Golden Hour Refresher.
“Look, I didn’t ask to be the king of summer. It just kinda happened,” Casalegno says in the ad. “This tan? Genetics. I just got my color analysis back. Guess what? Golden summer. Literally.
“I can’t help it; every time I drink a Dunkin’ Golden Hour Refresher, it’s like the sun just finds me,” he continues. “So if sipping these refreshers makes me the king of summer? Guilty as charged.”
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Dunkin’ and Casalegno for comment.
The messaging has divided social media.
Some have doubled down on their support of the coffee chain. Others are saying the ad reminds them of American Eagle’s new commercial starring Sydney Sweeney, which also mentions “genes.”
One TikTok commenter wrote, “Genuinely what does a drink have to do with genetics???”
Gavin Casalegno poses with Dunking’s Golden Hour Refresher in a campaign crowning him the “King of Summer,” which kicked off July 29, 2025.
Dunkin’ calls the video ‘playful’
In a press release last week, Dunkin’ called the promotion “a playful new social video [titled] ‘King of Summer.'”
Casalegno had previously starred in the Dunkin’s “Not Just a Snack” campaign, according to the company.
“Casalegno now claims his crown, a playful nod to his effortlessly sunny energy and the golden glow of his order: the Golden Hour Refresher,” Dunkin’ said.
The 25-year-old actor was also quoted in the press release, saying, “There’s just something about a summer sunset that makes everything feel a little better, and Dunkin’s Golden Hour Refresher really captures that vibe. It’s refreshing and kind of just lifts your mood. I’ve been a Dunkin’ fan for years, so teaming up again is such a fun way to celebrate summer.”
Gavin Casalegno drinks a Golden Hour Refresher from Dunkin’. Photo: Sara Jaye Weiss/Getty Images for DUNKIN’
The promotion of Dunkin’s newest offerings arrives on the heels of American Eagle’s July 23 launch of its new campaign with “Euphoria” star Sweeney, which includes a pair of pants – called “The Sydney Jean” – that raises money for the Crisis Text Line.
In one of the promotional videos, Sweeney playfully interchanges the homophones of “jeans” and “genes,” with the campaign’s messaging indicating that the actress has both “great” jeans and genes. Critics of the slogan have said it evokes the discredited philosophies of eugenics and glorifies whiteness.
The top-voted comment under Dunkin’s TikTok post with Casalegno reads: “Why are ads so obsessed with genetics all of a sudden.” Some of the other top-rated messages also posit rhetorical questions of the same nature.
“The genetics talk is so damn weird. Sincerely, a white guy,” one Instagram comment reads, while another says, “Weird time to drop an ad talking about genetics.”
Others say they’re fine with the messaging
There’s also a contingent of people who have said they’re either fine with the messaging or support it.
“Guess I’ll have to stop by Dunkin and get a drink on my way to go buy a pair of American Eagle jeans! Loving all of this non-woke” messaging,” an Instagram comment says.
Another user seemingly celebrated the release of an ad that reflects similar themes to Sweeney’s amid American Eagle’s controversy: “I love it! The libs are losing their weak minds.”
These comments echo the views of President Donald Trump‘s administration, which chimed in on the discourse when White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, on July 29, wrote on X that “This warped, moronic and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024.”
Then on Sunday, Aug. 3, when Trump was asked about Sweeney’s ad, he said he “loved it,” especially upon hearing that the actress is reportedly a registered Republican.
“She’s a registered Republican?” Trump said. “Oh, now I love her ad. Is that right? You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That’s one I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
He also praised the ad on Truth Social, his social media app.
Marcus Collins, clinical assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, previously told USA TODAY that in the case of some brand launches, the scrutiny may be the point. In 2025, the language comes amid a zeitgeist defined by major brands rolling back diversity and inclusive initiatives, according to Collins.
“This feels pretty on brand for [companies] these days,” Collins said.
Contributing: Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: New Dunkin’ ad has people talking due to mention of ‘genetics’