“We see it as the beginning of a new platform for Oreo, and the Big Game is a place for us to help launch it. But I think it has a lot of longevity,” Michelle Deignan, vice president, Oreo, U.S., told ADWEEK.
Deignan added that the twists are meant to drop Oreo into cultural shifts that have happened over the years. One of the biggest was the development of reality TV, which took off with the Kardashians.
A Kardashian twist
Jenner is one of the most famous matriarchs in the U.S. and the “momager” to the Kardashian family. On the show, the family is a fan of Oreo, so Jenner was a natural choice for a twist.
“The Kardashians are huge Oreo fans. Organically, the brand has shown up for many years in their shows, so it was a perfect partnership for us,” said Deignan.
Utilizing Jenner is one way the brand hopes to connect with fans, but the main focus for Oreo and The Martin Agency was to get the brand top of mind for consumers.
“Having the cookie at the center of that storytelling, and the playful tone of the brand come through, was really important. And I think that’s the magic that The Martin Agency was able to bring to the whole processes as we went through it,” said Deignan.
The spot was directed by Emmy winner Dave Laden and produced by Hungry Man Inc. and PXP.
Ready for another ‘dunk in the dark’ moment
Oreo made itself memorable in 2013 with its social post after the lights went out in the stadium during Super Bowl 47, suspending play for over 30 minutes. The brand smartly tweeted, “Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark.”
The impeccable timing and simplicity of the message dominated the conversation and made Oreo the buzz brand of the game.
While brands can’t know what each game will bring, they can plan for it. And Oreo, after over a decade away from the Big Game, is ready.
“Dunk in the dark” put Oreo on the map in terms of real-time marketing, according to Deignan, and the brand has since aimed to be a leader in social spaces.
“As we thought about this ‘Twist On It’ idea, we see the amplification of this idea as core to the success of the execution,” said Deignan.
The brand has its social team on the ready but is also looking to influencers to help reinforce the behavior of twisting with consumers. After all, Oreo knows people don’t just watch the game—they watch the game with their phones in their hands, so the social extension of the campaign is important in the messaging.
Oreo is preparing for an active 2024. It already released a new galaxy-inspired, limited-edition cookie and a contest for a fan to join the brand on an expedition to the edge of space with its Space Dunk Cookies. In Europe, it is “chasing playfulness” with a Pac-Man collaboration. The return to the Super Bowl makes a busy Q1 for Oreo, with a twist.
