Cop on a Rooftop (COAR) is a massive fundraiser that’s all about… well, cops and rooftops. But it’s so much more than that. Each year, Maclyn partners with Dunkin’ and local law enforcement agencies across the Midwest to help raise critical funds for Special Olympics athletes through one of the largest experiential events in the region.

In 2025, we raised the roof—literally and figuratively.

From strategic planning to day-of execution, our team helped Dunkin’ and law enforcement agencies in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin raise more than $1.38 million. The result? A powerful, multi-state immersive brand experience that brought communities together and made a real impact.

Here’s how we made it happen.

The Challenge: Make It Bigger, Bolder, and More Brew-tiful

COAR isn’t new, but making it feel new every year is where we come in. Dunkin’ had their sights set on record-breaking fundraising and media exposure across the Midwest. Our job? To create interactive brand activations that not only drew attention but pulled people in.

With 550+ participating locations and a goal of raising more than ever before, we needed a bold event activation strategy that would scale. From Chicago to Cedar Rapids, our job was to make Dunkin’ shine, rally support for the cause, and keep things logistically flawless.

Behind the Beans: Pre-Event Planning with Purpose

A great event starts long before the cameras roll. Our event planning agency worked closely with Dunkin’ and local law enforcement agencies to coordinate marketing, logistics, and media strategy. The key to any successful experiential event is preparation—and we came ready.

We handled:

• Location-specific logistics for 325+ Chicagoland stores—a new record!
• Custom event signage, rooftop displays, and branded photo ops
• Coordinated press kits, talking points, and day-of media guides
• Pre-scheduled news appearances with athletes and local officers
• Social media teaser campaigns to drive pre-event engagement

We mapped out every detail, from how many donuts each store needed to who was climbing what rooftop and when. When you’re building a large-scale event marketing strategy, you need more than creativity. You need structure. Planning. Partnership. And at Maclyn, we know how to balance big ideas with flawless execution.

The Main Event: Turning Dunkin’ Stores into Community Stages

On May 16, Dunkin’ locations across Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin transformed into community hubs for a cause—complete with coffee, cameras, and plenty of officers on rooftops.

We brought the full force of experiential event planning to life with:

• 20 news stations on-site, capturing everything from live interviews to drone shots
• 35+ live interviews and media shots on-site, featuring stories from athletes, families, and officers
• Celebrity drop-ins, including Bears tight end Cole Kmet, who made multiple media appearances
• Special Olympics athletes sharing their stories with thousands
• Branded tents, signs, and photo areas that made each location a destination

Each site had more than just a cookie-cutter setup—the shops became mini-stages for community pride, brand love, and charitable impact. Every location had its own energy, its own audience, and its own success story.

And that’s the beauty of well-planned in-person activations—they meet people where they are and make something memorable in the moment.

Real People, Real Impact

At the heart of COAR are the athletes, families, officers, and communities that believe in Special Olympics.

Throughout the day, we witnessed moments that reminded us why we do what we do. Parents stopped to tell us how Special Olympics changed their child’s life. First-time visitors pulled into the lot just to donate. People rolled down their windows not just for coffee, but to say thank you.

When you build interactive brand activations rooted in real emotion, you spark real change.

The Results: Success Beyond Just Dollars

Every interview, every rooftop climb, and every smiling face in a Dunkin’ drive-thru added to our record-breaking day. Let’s talk numbers—because they speak volumes:

• $1.2 million raised in Illinois alone
• $1.38+ million raised across six states
• 278 media placements across digital, broadcast, and print
• 21,417,093 total impressions and counting
• $1.6M+ in earned publicity value

While those stats are impressive, what really stands out is the unity. This event brought together brands, officers, athletes, and entire neighborhoods in support of something bigger. It’s proof that great event marketing doesn’t just move products—it moves people.

What Sets Maclyn Apart? The Details—and the Big Picture

If you’re a brand looking for an event marketing agency near me or a partner who knows how to pull off large-scale brand activations at events, here’s what we bring to the table:

• Full-service event planning and coordination from kickoff to clean-up
• Strategic event marketing that engages before, during, and after the big day
• Pre-event buzz generation that builds excitement and awareness
• On-site support with a smile (and a toolkit!)
• Creative concepts that are grounded in logistics and local insight

We’re marketers and builders of brand experiences that stay with people long after the tent comes down. Our team blends creative thinking with operational excellence. We thrive on a good challenge, strong collaborations, and bringing big visions to life.

Not Just a Moment—A Movement

Events like COAR are about much more than fundraising. They’re about creating shared experiences that foster connection, loyalty, and community engagement.

These kinds of immersive brand experiences create emotional memory—and emotional memory drives brand affinity. When the moment hits, the brand stays. That’s why many brands, from national chains to small startups, are using event planning agencies like ours to boost their in-person presence.

Build Something Extraordinary with Maclyn

In today’s noisy marketing landscape, moments matter more than messages. With Maclyn, we’ll do more than create an event—we’ll produce an experience that matters. We’re proud of the work we did with Dunkin’ for Cop on a Rooftop. Not just because of the numbers (though, hey, we’re pretty proud of those too), but because of what it meant for so many.

From pre-event planning to day-of setup, press strategy, signage, media coordination, and content capture, this was an all-hands, all-heart effort—and that’s the way we like it.

If you’ve been dreaming about a big moment—brainstorming pop-up event ideas, wondering how to pull off an interactive brand activation, or Googling “event marketing agency near me”—reach out and let’s make something happen.