Twist, Lick, Dunk: Lessons in Marketing Innovation from Oreo's 111-Year-Old Recipe (2024)

Nabisco’s famous Oreo Biscuit celebrates today its 111th anniversary, and it’s not hard to see why it has remained a beloved cookie all these years. As a marketer and Oreo enthusiast, I am fascinated by how Nabisco grew the brand and perfected the cookie flavor, along with the company’s brilliant marketing strategies. In this article, I’ll share some valuable marketing lessons that we can learn from Oreo and how Nabisco can continue to market the cookie in innovative ways.

The first lesson is to keep marketing messages simple yet powerful. Oreo’s campaigns are a great example of this. The famous “Twist, Lick, Dunk” slogan is a simple yet memorable message that helped spread brand awareness. Another tactic used by Oreo is to tap into nostalgia by using images and messages that evoke childhood memories. The “Wonderfilled” campaign, for instance, used a song that talked about the wonder and magic of childhood.

Leveraging social media has also been a successful strategy for Oreo. The company has created shareable content that encourages user-generated content. For instance, the “Oreo Dunk Challenge” campaign invited fans to post videos of themselves dunking Oreos in creative ways.

Creativity is another valuable lesson that we can learn from Oreo. Oreo’s “Daily Twist” campaign used cookies to recreate current events and pop culture references. The campaign showed that Oreo was in touch with current events and had a sense of humor, which resonated with its audience.

Lastly, Oreo has built a strong brand that is recognizable and trusted by its audience. The company has consistently delivered on its promise of a delicious and satisfying cookie and has maintained a consistent image and messaging across all its marketing channels.

To maintain its position as America's number one cookie, Nabisco needs to think outside the box and come up with unique and creative marketing ideas. One strategy is experiential marketing, which engages customers and promotes brand loyalty. Nabisco can consider hosting Oreo-themed events, such as pop-up shops or food trucks, that allow consumers to sample different Oreo products and engage with the brand in a fun and interactive way.

Oreo has had several successful experiential marketing campaigns over the years, such as the Oreo Wonder Vault and the Oreo Dunk Challenge. These campaigns created interactive and memorable experiences that engaged customers and promoted brand loyalty. For instance, in 2014, Oreo set a Guinness World Record for the most people dunking cookies simultaneously. The event was part of the “Twist, Lick, Dunk” campaign, which celebrated the unique way people enjoy Oreos worldwide.

Nabisco can also consider creating a pop-up Oreo Flavor Lab, where customers can mix and match different flavors to create their own unique Oreo cookie. The experience could include interactive displays and tasting stations, as well as opportunities to vote for favorite flavor combinations. An Oreo Cookie Art Gallery, featuring art made entirely out of Oreo cookies, could also be hosted, featuring works by local and international artists. Finally, an Oreo Museum could be created that chronicles the history of the beloved cookie, with interactive exhibits, videos, and displays showcasing Oreo's rich heritage and evolution over time.

In conclusion, by keeping marketing messages simple, tapping into nostalgia, leveraging social media, being creative, and building a strong brand, Nabisco can continue to market Oreo cookies in innovative ways and maintain its position as America's number one cookie. Experiential marketing campaigns, such as pop-up shops and food trucks, can also be used to create interactive and memorable experiences that engage customers and promote brand loyalty. As we look forward to the next century of Oreo cookies, we can be sure that Nabisco’s marketing team has some exciting plans up their sleeves.