🟨 Oreo: Same Jersey, Same Routines... and Same Biscuits?
If you package it right, people won’t just want it—they will need it
Hey there!
Welcome to Yellow Chili Campaigns where I highlight cool stuff in marketing campaigns to help you get fresh ideas and actionable insights to sell more and grow your business.
Indians are superstitious, especially when it comes to cricket. Cricket in India isn’t just a sport, it’s also a religion. Cricket fans often believe in repeating specific actions during a match, such as wearing the same jersey or sitting in a particular position. They think it will help India win the game.
And if there’s one moment that stands out to every Indian cricket fan, it’s when India won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. That was also the year that Oreo launched in India.
Fast forward to 2022, the Oreo decided to launch a limited edition, cricket cookie special when India was playing in the World Cup. Do you think, that was just a coincidence? By relaunching Oreo in India again, the biscuit brand hoped history would repeat itself, leading to another World Cup victory for India.
A store owner at Bolivari, Mumbai selling Dhoni’s jersey all over again
They leveraged the popularity of MS Dhoni, the captain of the 2011 cricket team and an Oreo brand ambassador. During a YouTube Live session, Dhoni announced the relaunch of Oreo, highlighting a special connection between the brand and the World Cup. The campaign aimed to inspire people to join Dhoni’s pledge to bring back 2011 and help India secure another championship win.
Oreo encouraged everyone to participate by recreating their 2011 routines. Cricketers from the 2011 tournament recreated their pre-game rituals, rewatching the same movies and listening to the same music they did over a decade ago. The brand also teamed up with The Times of India to recreate its 2011 front page celebrating the historic victory, while restaurants brought back their 2011 menus.
ICYMI
#BringBack2011 is an example of an Integrated Marketing Campaign.
The campaign achieved a high number of impressions and millions of views on MS Dhoni’s videos. It also earned 247 organic news mentions and 19.5 million social media engagements, four times more than expected. The Bring Back 2011 campaign also drove sales growth at twice the predicted rate.
🍉 Action Points
Find cultural anchors - Oreo knew that cricket in India isn’t just a sport, it’s a deeply emotional experience. Oreo turned this belief into a campaign hook, encouraging fans to recreate their 2011 habits for good luck. Every market has deep-rooted beliefs and traditions. Identify one that aligns with your brand and build a campaign around it.
Leverage nostalgia - 2011 was a landmark year for Indian cricket fans. Oreo linked itself to that historic moment, making their campaign feel more than just marketing, it felt like a movement. People love reliving their best memories. If your brand has been around for a while, find a past moment to revive in a meaningful way.
Created a multi touchpoint experience - Oreo encouraged fans to relive 2011 by recreating their old match-day routines. It made them feel like they were contributing to India’s World Cup chances. While online buzz is great, integrating print, offline partnerships, and activations to create a 360 degree experience.
P.S. If you like what you read, please move my emails to your primary inbox so you don’t miss the next issue!
🍕 Work From Anywhere(ish) Jobs
Bumpa is hiring a Performance Marketing Associate 🇳🇬
Moniepoint is hiring a Product Manager 🇳🇬
Cleva is hiring a Customer Success Specialist 🇳🇬
Toggl is hiring a Demand Generation Manager 🌎
Pitch is hiring a Content Marketing Manager 🇩🇪
Deel is hiring a Product Marketing Manager 🌎
Cordial is hiring a Director of Content Marketing 🇺🇸
Fyxer AI is hiring a Growth Marketing Director 🇬🇧