Cinnabon's Sweet and Social Marketing Success

Above, the well-known Cinnabon Classic bun next to the Minibon. Counting sales in its franchised stores and through other channels, including branded buns in Burger King, Cinnabon sells 100 million cinnamon-infused sweet rolls every year and rings up $1 billion in global sales.

The brand positioning is as a sweet indulgence, not an everyday experience. Still, the caloric Cinnabon Classic (880 calories) is hugely popular, compared to the Minibon (350 calories). Cinnabon is also partnering with Pillsbury and Kellogg, among other big companies, on cobranded food products for supermarket shelves.

More growth and profits are in sight as Cinnabon expands into new markets like Libya and adds new franchise locations in existing markets. After all, with only 1,100 retail locations worldwide, there's lots of room for new stores.

The company is a hit in social media, with nearly 1 million Facebook friends, 48,000 Twitter followers, a YouTube page, a Flickr page, and quick responses to brand references in all media.

Coming up next: Cinnabon K-cup coffee pods from Green Mountain Roasters. What other cobranded products will Cinnabon explore?