Inspire Brands—ad spending, facts and profile

Overview Inspire Brands is a multi-brand restaurant company based in Atlanta. Inspire’s restaurant brands include Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s and Sonic Drive-In. Business segments and operations Inspire is a private company controlled by Roark Capital, an Atlanta-based buyout firm. Roark in April 2024 bought U.S. sandwich restaurant franchisor Subway. Roark manages Subway as a standalone chain separate from Inspire and other Roark holdings. See more: Inspire’s business and brands Marketing spending Worldwide ad spending: Total worldwide advertising spending shown in the Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers report is an Ad Age Datacenter estimate of combined systemwide worldwide ad spending for Inspire’s restaurant chains. U.S. ad spending: Total U.S. advertising spending shown in the Ad Age Leading National Advertisers report is an Ad Age Datacenter estimate of combined systemwide U.S. ad spending for Inspire’s restaurant chains. Links to Ad Age’s advertiser rankings Latest rankings: U.S. The Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2024 ranking was released Oct. 28, 2024. Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2024 U.S. ad spending, rankings, analysis and profiles for the biggest marketers Click here Past rankings: U.S. Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2023 Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2022 Latest rankings: worldwide The Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers 2024 ranking was released Dec. 9, 2024. Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers 2024 Global ad spending, rankings, analysis and profiles for the biggest marketers Click here Past rankings: worldwide Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers 2023 Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers 2022 Financial results Inspire reported 2023 total global system sales of more than $32.5 billion. Read more about Inspire Deals and strategic moves Inspire in December 2020 bought Dunkin’ Brands Group, operator of Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’, for $11.3 billion. Inspire in October 2019 bought Jimmy John’s Sandwiches. This came after Roark Capital Management (Inspire’s majority owner) three years earlier, in October 2016, bought a majority stake in Jimmy John’s. Inspire in December 2018 bought Sonic Corp. (Sonic Drive-In) for $2.3 billion. Inspire launched in February 2018 as a multi-brand restaurant company after Arby’s Restaurant Group bought Buffalo Wild Wings (including Rusty Taco) for $2.9 billion. (Inspire in December 2022 sold Rusty Taco to buyout firm Gala Capital Partners.) Roark in 2011 bought 81.5% of Arby’s Restaurant Group from Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group then changed its corporate name to Wendy’s Co. Wendy’s kept an 18.5% Arby’s stake, which was diluted to a 12.3% stake in Inspire when Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings came together in February 2018. Wendy’s in August 2018 sold its 12.3% Inspire stake to Inspire for $450 million. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group was the product of a 2008 merger. Triarc Cos., parent of Arby’s Restaurant Group, in September 2008 bought Wendy’s International. Triarc renamed itself Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. Plans for the merged venture didn’t last long. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group in January 2011 said it was “exploring strategic alternatives for Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., including a sale of the brand.” The company said it had decided to focus on its bigger Wendy’s business. Background on Dunkin’ Brands Group Inspire Brands bought Dunkin’ Brands Group in December 2020 for $11.3 billion. Dunkin’ Brands Group was the franchisor of two fast-food chains, Dunkin’ (coffee and baked goods) and Baskin-Robbins (ice cream). Dunkin’ Brands in 2018 rebranded Dunkin’ Donuts as Dunkin’. As of 2020, Dunkin’ Brands distributed products in more than 60 countries. Dunkin’ Brands reported its business through five segments: Dunkin’ U.S., Dunkin’ International, Baskin-Robbins International, Baskin-Robbins U.S. and U.S. Advertising Funds. The U.S. Advertising Funds segment primarily generated revenue through continuing advertising fees from U.S. Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins franchisees. Expenses for the U.S. Advertising Funds were equivalent to revenue for the funds, so Dunkin’ Brands didn’t make a profit on these funds. Dunkin’ Brands historic advertising expenses: Dunkin’ Brands reported the following worldwide “advertising expenses.” Expenses were primarily from U.S. Advertising Funds (advertising fees from Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins franchisees that are used for U.S. advertising); advertising fees and related income from international advertising funds; and gift card program costs. 2019: $506,755,000 2018: $498,019,000 2017: $476,157,000 2016: $458,568,000 Dunkin’ Brands’ two brands date to the 1940s, when Bill Rosenberg founded his first restaurant, subsequently renamed Dunkin’ Donuts, and Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins each founded a chain of ice cream shops that eventually combined to form Baskin-Robbins. Allied Domecq, a U.K.-based alcohol marketer, acquired Baskin-Robbins in 1973 and Dunkin’ Donuts in 1989. The brands were organized under the Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants subsidiary, which was renamed Dunkin’ Brands in 2004. Spirits marketer Pernod Ricard acquired Allied Domecq in July 2005 and decided to divest Dunkin’ Brands. The restaurant business was acquired by buyout firms Bain Capital Partners, Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners in March 2006 and later renamed Dunkin’ Brands Group. Dunkin’ Brands Group completed its IPO in July 2011. Management and employees Paul Brown is Inspire’s co-founder and CEO See more: Inspire management See more: Inspire careers History Inspire launched in February 2018 as a multi-brand restaurant company after Roark Capital-controlled Arby’s Restaurant Group bought Buffalo Wild Wings. See more: Inspire’s history Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2024 U.S. ad spending, rankings, analysis and profiles for the biggest marketers Click here

Inspire Brands—ad spending, facts and profile

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