Stale Oreo cookies aren’t very tasty. The same is true of marketing and Oreo had a marketing problem.
The cookie was first introduced in 1912 and Kraft had dunked it into an advertising rut. When Kraft handed off the cookie over to the newly-split-off Mondelez International, making the flagship brand into a relevant buzzword became a crucial step toward Mondelez’s success.
Real Time Content  Â
The first task was trying to get Oreo out of the kitchen and into the world. Rather than depending on television ads to tell the same tired story about families and friends coming together, Mondelez’s marketing team wanted something more compelling and dynamic.
The challenge of hooking a new audience and reeling back the new ones had a lot to do with consumer habits in the grocery store, specifically when they are waiting in line to check out. Rather than perusing the snacks and impulse buying, consumers are now staring down at their smart phones. So, Oreo decided to make a showing on social media to ring in its 100th birthday.
The company set a plan for creating 100 pieces of content in 100 days in real time. Oreo’s “Daily Twist,” social media campaign not only found the brand a new voice, but it won the Internet. The now famous campaign threw out ads that reacted to cultural events as they happened. And Facebook and Twitter ate it up. The Mars Rover just landed? Oreo celebrated. And thanks to fast action after the infamous 2012 Super Bowl black out, everyone was talking about eating Oreos in the dark. In fact, Oreos were cool again.
Oreo’s Famous Super Bowl Tweet
So What’s Next?
In January this year, Oreo rolled out its “Open Up with Wonder” campaign, teaming up with American Idol singer Adam Lambert. The campaign encouraged consumers to open themselves up (like one might open a cookie) and be childlike again, embracing new people and experiences. The use of social awareness in messaging has become a staple of big brands, and it seems that Oreo’s message of tolerance and diversity on the Internet is also working for them.
The brand is also generating some new edible content to build a buzz. So far this year, Oreo has released limited-edition Cinnamon Bun Oreos, brought back the Red Velvet Oreo for Valentine’s Day, and Cupcake Oreos. This month Mondelez began offering Fruity Crisp and Blueberry Pie Oreos. The Blueberry Pie edition was released on June 6th and is exclusively available at Target. So, it looks like Oreo isn’t so stale anymore thanks to social media and some interesting flavors.
If your marketing gets stale, follow Oreo’s lead and change it up. Stay fresh. Stay relevant. And maybe try on a new flavor.
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