Before iced coffee became a daily ritual, before streaming ruled primetime, and when haircuts had personalities of their own, there was 1995.
On Sunday night, during the biggest night in sports, Dunkin’ is pressing rewind with Good Will Dunkin’—a never‑aired sitcom pilot set in 1995, the same year the brand first put iced coffee in the spotlight. Styled as a “lost” piece of television history, the episode brings Dunkin’s iced coffee origin story to life inside a Cambridge, Mass., Dunkin’, where a familiar cast of characters accidentally stumbles upon a breakthrough that would change mornings forever.
A Sitcom That Somehow Slipped Through the Cracks
Starring Ben Affleck as “Will,” a quick‑witted South Boston kid at the center of the story, Good Will Dunkin’ plays like a primetime workplace comedy that somehow never made it to air. The pilot reimagines Affleck not as a supporting player in a ’90s drama, but as the lead of a classic ensemble sitcom set in none other than his beloved Dunkin’ Donuts.
Packed with big reactions, bigger hair and perfectly timed banter, the episode features an all‑star lineup of ’90s television icons, including Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander, Ted Danson, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jaleel White and Jasmine Guy. The result feels less like an ad and more like a piece of pop‑culture lore rediscovered.
Where Boston Roots Meet ’90s Comfort TV
Built on Dunkin’s Boston heritage and Affleck’s long‑standing love for the brand, Good Will Dunkin’ borrows the spirit of Good Will Hunting—the idea that something extraordinary can be hiding in plain sight—and applies it to an unexpected breakthrough of its own: iced coffee.
The campaign connects two kinds of ’90s comfort: the sitcoms people rewatched endlessly and the Dunkin’ runs people counted on every day. It’s a “long‑buried” origin story designed to spark nostalgia, curiosity and just enough doubt to make viewers wonder if this sitcom was ever real.
A surprise Tom Brady cameo seals the Boston connection and adds to the fun of the “lost pilot” premise.
From VHS Tease to Big Game Reveal
The journey began when Affleck teased a mysterious VHS tape containing a “forgotten masterpiece,” igniting speculation about what was on it. Tonight, that mystery is solved as Dunkin’ unveils a fully realized ’90s sitcom universe—complete with laugh tracks, ensemble chaos and an early introduction to iced coffee.
Created through Dunkin’s ongoing collaboration with Artists Equity, the campaign unfolds like a cultural artifact that somehow slipped through the cracks and resurfaced just in time for the world’s biggest stage. The spot marks Affleck’s fourth time directing a Dunkin’ ad airing during the Super Bowl broadcast.
Inside the Story: The Sitcom That Almost Was
In Good Will Dunkin’, Affleck steps into the role of “Will Hunting,” channeling the film’s math‑genius energy into a very different kind of classroom: the Dunkin’ counter. Between orders, he scribbles equations on the store window and organizes MUNCHKINS® Donut Hole Treats into the Fibonacci sequence—convincing his manager, played by Jason Alexander, that he may have a once‑in‑a‑generation mind on staff.
From there, the pilot leans fully into classic ’90s ensemble comedy as Matt LeBlanc, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jaleel White, Jasmine Guy and Ted Danson trade era‑defining humor, with Dunkin’ as the backdrop for it all.
Set in a time when iced coffee wasn’t everywhere yet, a quick exchange between Will and LeBlanc’s character nods to Dunkin’s early role in bringing iced coffee into the mainstream. The episode closes outside the store window, where Jennifer Aniston delivers the ultimate cameo—pulling Tom Brady into frame for a punchline that puts a very Boston bow on the story.
Free Iced Coffee, Super Bowl Monday
In 1995, Dunkin’ became the first major brand to advertise iced coffee, starring Fred the Baker. Today, iced coffee is part of daily life—and Dunkin’ has been in the conversation from the start.
To celebrate the moment that changed mornings everywhere, Dunkin’ is giving away 1.995 million free iced coffees of any size on Feb. 9. Guests can redeem the offer using code GOODWILLDUNKIN in the Dunkin’ app.*
A ’90s Time Capsule Drop
No throwback is complete without memorabilia. Dunkin’ is releasing a limited collection of authentic vintage and ’90s‑inspired merch, including pieces featured at last week’s ’90s pop‑up on MIT’s campus—a nod to Will Hunting’s stomping grounds.
Available now at DunkinRunsOnMerch.com, the drop includes vintage‑style mugs and tumblers, a throwback koozie, a denim jacket with peak ’90s energy, and a “Will Hunting”‑inspired visor‑with‑hair for fans ready to step into their own sitcom moment.
A Real‑World Math Challenge
To keep the momentum going, Dunkin’ teamed up with MIT professor and former NFL player John Urschel to create a real‑world whiteboard math problem inspired by the spot. One lucky fan who cracks the puzzle will win free Dunkin’ coffee for a year**, plus collectible merch signed by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
Because just like a Dunkin’ run, a great ’90s sitcom is the kind of comfort you keep coming back to—and Good Will Dunkin’ brings those two rituals together in one rewatchable, Boston‑rooted big game moment.
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