How do you get shoppers thinking about Oreos before they’ve set foot into a store? That was the challenge parent company Mondelēz International and agency partner VML set out to solve with Oreo Walks.
The campaign turned the black-and-white stripes of zebra crossings outside Kroger stores in the US into giant Oreo cookie stacks. In Cincinnati and Columbus, passers-by could see illustrated characters munching on cookies as they stepped across the road. A QR code embedded in the artwork drove people to oreo.com/oreowalks, where they could unlock an in-store offer.
The execution neatly fuses creative out-of-home and direct commerce. VML says the design builds on Oreo’s visual identity work of the past four years, demonstrating ‘minimalist charm and graphic discipline.’ The effect is both instantly recognisable and fits the brand’s black-and-white aesthetic.
‘We know shoppers don’t always head to the cookie aisle, so we brought Oreo cookies to them, right at the entrance,’ said Carly Kerlakian, director of omnichannel activation at Mondelēz International. ‘It’s a great reminder that creativity doesn’t just build awareness, it drives purchase.’
The idea is not only visually appealing but also has the backing of research. A 2022 Journal of Advertising meta-analysis of 26 studies found that innovative media placements — marketing effectively placed in everyday environments — outperform traditional placements when it comes to strengthening brand associations and nudging purchase intent. Oreo Walks is almost a textbook example.
It’s also not the first time Oreo and VML have riffed on the visual similarity between the biscuit and mundane objects. OreoCodes, a 2023 campaign, boosted sales by 7.3% year-on-year by riffing on the cookie’s resemblance to barcodes. Last year’s Oreo Calls played on the traditional black-and-white sports referee outfits, transforming basketball referee calls into moments fans could interact with and buy from in real time. That idea scooped a Gold Lion in Creative Commerce at Cannes Lions 2024.
Oreo Walks lands at a critical moment for Mondelēz International. North American net revenue fell 3.5% year-on-year in Q2, with tariffs and consumer anxiety expected to weigh further in the months ahead. The importance of brand building was identified as a key strategy.
‘[As] it relates to biscuits, particularly in the U.S., we see a very anxious and weak consumer situation,’ said Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Putz on a July earnings call. ‘I’m not expecting that that immediately will be better next year. So I’m expecting that we will have to increase our investment in our brands also in North America next year.’
In that light, Oreo Walks is a reminder of the power of brand-building at street level, using creativity to keep products front-of-mind when shoppers are at their most primed to buy.