Oreos that taste like chicken & waffles? That alone was enough to get everyone’s attention. But snack company Mondelēz International really generated a buzz recently by rolling out not one, but three, limited edition flavors all at once — and allowing consumers to vote for which one will get long-term distribution. Plus there’s a reward for simply voting — the chance to win a year’s supply of Oreos.
In today’s saturated media landscape, it can be difficult for retailers and brands to cut through the clutter. But creative marketing campaigns and in-store activations might be just the trick to engaging new audiences and re-connecting with old ones.
A Break from the Everyday
Just about everyone likes a good game. Everyone likes to make their voice heard. Everyone likes to a reason to look up from their feeds and try something new IRL.
Does everyone like Banana Pudding Oreos, Deep Fried Oreos and Chicken & Waffles Oreos? Time will tell. But those questions are probably beside the point. Did the campaign boost traffic to their website? Did it engage more people or remind them of the iconic cookie brand? Did it boost sales?
“Most businesses fall into the trap of only talking about product features like price or ingredients,” says Denver branding agency FiG. “Oreo’s new campaign, however, sells an entire collaborative experience. When you give people a real voice in shaping a product, you build an emotional connection that standard ads just cannot match. The campaign successfully turns buying snacks into a team sport, making fans feel like members of the brand’s inner circle.”
Creative In-Store Experiences
Retailers with physical stores have the added opportunity to bring creative marketing campaigns and activations to life in their spaces. These interactive activities can be done in conjunction with product partners, community organizations or totally independently.
In the beauty sector, Ulta has been leaning into in-store events and activations as a successful way to build community and brand loyalty.
“Last year alone we held over 100,000 in-store events, ranging from brand activations and birthday parties to salon services, in addition to large-scale immersive experiences like Ulta Beauty World, because we know the power of in-person touchpoints in deepening our connection with beauty enthusiasts,” Ulta CMO Kelly Mahoney recently told Marketing Dive.
Mahoney, who Forbes recently named one of the world’s most influential CMOs, also says
Ulta’s Times Square flagship store will be “rooted in immersive event activations that will elevate our storytelling and connections with our guests even further. These personalized touchpoints authentically set Ulta Beauty up as the ultimate beauty destination, organically creating moments for community, UGC content and brand loyalty.”
Gamification
What’s more, don’t forget there’s a prize involved with Oreo’s most recent splash. Gamification, which is especially popular with younger people, actually appeals to all generations.
“What was once considered a novelty or trend has evolved into a sophisticated, data-driven marketing approach that delivers measurable results across acquisition, retention, and customer lifetime value metrics,” says French ad firm R-Advertising. “The shift towards marketing games isn’t just about adding fun elements to campaigns — it’s about creating meaningful interactions that drive business outcomes.”
Gamification doesn’t have to be high-tech to be successful. Gifts and Decorative Accessories recently featured a popular “Where’s Waldo” scavenger hunt that takes place in several downtown businesses in Woodstock, Illinois. Players win prizes based on the number of Waldo figures they find, and there’s a celebratory event complete with games, goodie bags and raffles.
“It is a creative and fun way to highlight all that’s wonderful about our local indie businesses, while bolstering our shared sense of community,” said Kaitlyn Reed, assistant manager of Read Between the Lynes, the local bookstore that organized the game and event.