For the second time in the last few months, Oreo’s designers (working alongside their social media team) have come up with images that have brought their brand into the forefront of conversation. The images have gone viral on social media both times, and the most amazing part about it is that both graphics were bold yet simple, devoid of celebrity endorsements, and lacked those annoying calls to action that always make you want to #headdesk. Nope, their images have been product-centric, simple, eye-catching, and with witty/relevant copy. I think they’ve got this viral image thing down…
Case #1- supporting marriage equality
Oreo caught a lot of flack for this image, but even more to the point, thousands of comments and shares in support of their message. While I don’t know if this image was a spur-of-the-moment decision, it certainly was a brilliant one. By recreating the highly recognizable rainbow flag that’s become synonymous with marriage equality and gay rights in the form of a (delicious looking) stacked Oreo, they conveyed a simple but uber-powerful message, while still remaining on-brand. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a rush of sales that week as well… I know I picked up a box in support!
Case #2- Superbowl blackout
Once again, Oreo came out with a minimalist — even more so this time, in all black and white– yet hugely impactful image. Unlike the pride cookie, this image was spur of the moment. No one could have predicted the Superbowl blackout, but while everyone else seemed to be scrambling to figure out what happened (or blaming Beyonce’s fierceness for the blackout), Oreo hopped on social media and took over with this clever graphic that has since been liked over 25,000 times and shared over 6,000… and at a mere fraction of the cost of a Superbowl ad. Boom.
Also, if you’re interested in the social media side of Oreo’s success, check out this post by my friend Elisabeth over on Ubervu’s blog. Great read on real-time monitoring with tips on how to be prepared to act/react like Oreo did.
