The new OREO campaign "Trust the Twist”, created by LePub Amsterdam, injects playfulness into daily routines by integrating OREO's beloved twisting ritual.
The press spiel declares: “In a world of serious decisions, why not embrace the joy of the unexpected? With the Twist, simple choices become playful moments. Whether the "creme" ends up left or right, let's make decisions more fun!”
To learn more, I caught up with the LePub team to discuss the enigma that is the OREO in the European market.
What was the brief?
Oreo, a well-established American icon celebrated for its unique taste and look, made its foray into the European market approximately a decade ago. However, this venture into a region where traditional buttery biscuits reigned as the norm necessitated a rebuilding of its reputation.
Initially, Oreo opted to conform to the established norms of the European category rather than accentuating its distinctiveness. This strategic decision led to a paradoxical situation reflected in its brand equity. Specifically, our brief objective was to augment brand affinity and product appreciation to boost both salience and meaningfulness. This endeavor presented a nuanced challenge, requiring a balance between building craveability and fostering enjoyable connections.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
Oreo was largely an enigma, not fully comprehended by the European consumer. Recognizing this, we understood that mimicking the generic codes of the category wouldn't effectively resonate. Oreo it's an American icon that begs to be played with and that appeals to young and old alike.
Thus, we made the pivotal decision to transform our point of difference into our greatest asset, rather than adhering to the conventional approach of positioning cookies as a means for familial bonding. Decades earlier, Oreo had introduced a consumption ritual known as 'Twist. Lick. Dunk.' in the US, a playful engagement method that had since become ingrained in cultural norms. To address our business and brand equity challenges, we strategically placed this distinctive ritual at the forefront of our strategy. By portraying Oreo as a whimsical problem solver, we disrupted conventional perceptions with a playful twist, thereby reshaping the narrative surrounding our brand.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
In full LePub style, we went looking for a “culture pulse”, a cultural trend we could leverage to create a campaign that would have been both engaging and relevant. And we discovered two things: that in today’s world, we make as much as 35.000 choices per day, many of which regard trivial or plainly boring things; and that there isn’t a certain way to predict on which side the creme will end up once you twist an Oreo cookie.
That was the spark we needed to suggest people to Trust The Twist and add a little bit of playfulness to their daily routine, by leaving the decision making process in the hands of an Oreo cookie.
What was the production process like?
Given the high number of countries involved, the magnitude of the project and the expectations, it was challenging and fast paced.
At first, we produced 3 different TVCs, each one in multiple cuts; plus various assets that were declined both in digital and traditional media; then, we also tackled less conventional executions to shape a campaign that could engage people on a multi-layered level.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
Like many biscuits, also Oreo is positioned in the sharing and connections space. However, because of Oreo’s unique character, the type of connections we’re after are more playful, unserious, fun seeking.
And ‘Trust the Twist’ is doing exactly this, creating playful connections between young and old that are designed to fight the seriousness of adulthood, by subverting everyday conventional decision making.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
Trust The Twist is a campaign that is expanding to new markets day after day.
So after receiving the brief in August 2022, even if we delivered all the initial batch of materials in October 2023, we are still proposing, creating, refining new executions on all media.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We’re transforming Oreo from a clichéd cookie that plays to the boring codes of the category, to a fun looking and fun tasting icon in European cookie culture.
We do this by bringing fun and levity to the world, subverting the seriousness of adulthood. With ‘Trust the Twist’ we therefore aim to increase brand equity in meaningfulness and salience.
