SILVER: Off to a Good Start • BRONZE: Best Insight
Situation Analysis For 100 years, Oreo has been a beloved brand, and one of the top selling cookies in Canada. However, by 2010, because of competitive pressures, evolving food values, aging boomers and slow adoption in multicultural households, the baseline business had started to decline. Oreo was becoming a once-in-a-while indulgence, despite strong brand-related measures and spending support at competitive levels. Historically, Kraft Canada picked up U.S. creative for Oreo, which leveraged the ritual of “Twist, Lick and Dunk.” However, despite strong test scores and proven effectiveness in other markets, sales in Canada were not responding. For the first time in over a decade, Canadian TV creative would be developed.
Strategy & Insight There was a clear need to bring a Canadian angle to the “Twist, Lick and Dunk” ritual. The planning process zeroed in on what makes Canadians unique. This showed that while we are less openly nationalistic than the citizens of other countries, we have distinct points of national pride such as our celebration of multicultural diversity. This turned out to be the key.
Execution The 30-second “Moving Day” spot launched in April 2011 and showed a little boy welcoming a newly arrived young neighbour with two glasses of milk and a bag of Oreos. The first boy speaks English and the other boy only speaks Mandarin, but it’s clear they speak the same language when it comes to Oreo’s “Twist, Lick and Dunk” ritual. Media involved a broad-reaching TV buy with airings on top conventional and specialty stations.
Results Since 2007, baseline dollar sales had declined between 1% and 9% annually. While “Moving Day” was on the air, baseline dollar sales spiked 12% and remained ahead 6% by year end.
Cause & Effect “Moving Day” is the number-one branded ad in the Millward Brown database for branding effectiveness – in any category. Other creative metrics were also ahead of norms, and because the case quotes baseline sales, other variables can be ruled out.
Credits:
Client: Kraft Canada
VP grocery and beverages: Chris Bell
senior brand manager: Emma Voirin
Marketing research manager: Marco Massa
Agency: Draftfcb
Chief creative officer: Robin Heisey
VP group creative director: Jeff Hilts
(Former) group account director: Christine McNab
Account director: Anabella Mandel
