Can Oreo's New 'Wonderfilled' Campaign Sap The Cynicism Out of Your Day?

Last year, in celebrating its centennial with the Daily Twist effort, Oreo encouraged consumers to look at the cookie a little differently. Now, with its new "Wonderfilled" campaign out of The Martin Agency, the brand wants them to see the rest of the world with a new sense of awe. This weekend, Oreo debuted a highly cheery, animated 90-second spot set to a catchy twee track showing how historically morbid figures--the Big Bad Wolf, a blood-sucking vampire--take a turn for the bright, with the help of the classic creme-centered cookie. "It starts with a very simple premise, about how something as small as an Oreo cookie can bring about a positive change in perspective," said Janda Lukin, Director, Oreo at Mondelez International, Inc. That certainly was the case with the spot's debut on Sunday. It bowed both during an episode of during an episode of the reality show "Married to Jonas" on E, as well as one of the television's darker shows, AMC's "Mad Men." Of the "Mad Men" media buy, Ms. Lukin said: "We thought about how we could get high impact placement, where there was a very loyal viewership that's also very engaged in social," said Ms. Lukin. She noted that the show's adult audience is the demo Oreo wanted to attract, said Ms. Lukin. "Kids already have a sense of wonder in how they see the world, but adults have to be reminded of that. The stories are going to resonate with different people, but overall, it's an adult campaign." Picking that show in particular also ensured the spot would get a lot of eyeballs from creative types in adland. "Wonderfilled" continues a theme evident in the brand's work over the last year -- from Daily Twist to the cookie-vs.-creme spots out of Wieden + Kennedy Portland. "Oreo as a brand has a very clear point of view in terms of seeing the world with openness and curiosity," Ms. Lukin said. "'Wonderfilled' sees that world in that same lens." But the latest push may be the cookie's most ambitious move, as it represents an attempt to command a more "iconic" brand presence like that of a Nike or a Coke. "Oreo is the biggest cookie in the world, and it was occupying a space too small for its stature," said Martin Agency CD Magnus Hierta. Melodic Backbone The spot's playful tune was written by Martin Agency creative director Dave Muhlenfeld, who's also composed music and lyrics for the agency's campaigns for FreeCreditReport.com, Xfinity and Walmart. To perform it, the agency tapped indie artist Adam Young, aka OwlCity, chosen specifically for how his point of view meshed with Oreo's vibe. "One thing we're definitely not trying to do is to make music to make it cooler, or for street cred," said Mr. Muhlenfeld. "We needed an artist who's going to be as uncynical as Oreo itself. It had to feel honest and fun." The hipstery-sounding song will serve as the campaign's backbone, of sorts, and the brand plans to bring in other types of artists of different genres to reinterpret the tune for new executions. Same goes for the visuals. "We've been looking for artists who have a certain perspective," said Mr. Hierta. "We wanted someone who could communicate that warm message, someone who wasn't overpolished." Mr. Hierta had been a longtime fan of Barcelona-based animator/designer Martin Allais, the anthem's director, and for an accompanying 30-second spot, the agency commissioned L.A. based Royale. As part of the campaign launch, Mondelez brought Oreo's wonder to New York City and tapped about 500 college a cappella singers to rouse New York commuters at various subway stops out of their morning stupor with their own renditions of the "Wonderfilled" theme. "Not a flash mob, but more like Christmas carolers," said Mr. Muhlenfeld. The brand capped off the event in a group singalong with Owl City in Union Square. To continue the momentum in social media, Oreo has released a series of Vine clips on Twitter capturing bits of the event, and later this week more Oreo musical crews will descend on Chicago and Los Angeles. "The idea is that the brand is behaving the way it's preaching," said Mr. Hierta. "The song asks a lot for an Oreo, but it's trying to put its money where its mouth is, with work that lives up to that task."

Can Oreo's New 'Wonderfilled' Campaign Sap The Cynicism Out of Your Day?

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