Mondel?z International is stirring up social media buzz as it unveils its new Red Velvet Oreos in time for Valentine?s Day, underscoring how Twitter and Facebook can help drive new product introductions. 

The limited edition Red Velvet Oreos will not be available for purchase until Feb. 2, although Mondel?z is offering 20,250 fans the opportunity to be the first to taste the new version of the popular cookie by filling out an entry form via Facebook or the Mondel?z Web site. A social media frenzy has also overtaken Twitter, with many consumers posting images of the new packaging featuring the red and white snacks via the #RedVelvetOreos hashtag.

?I absolutely think turning not only to social media, but to platforms that are constantly regenerating dialogue through trending topics such as Twitter was the best vehicle to amplify awareness about the launch,? said Alia Rajput, social media manager at No Limit Agency. ?Since securing their place as a Twitter influencer after the Super Bowl in 2013, followers have been looking to the brand to continue their trend-setting, cutting edge content and dynamic brand voice.

?They already have people hanging on their every tweet, so it was an easy launch pad for something as buzz-worthy as a popular new flavor and the first new color change to the cookie in over ten years.?

Raising brand awareness
Mondel?z International has released advanced packages of the Oreos to select individuals already, who have uploaded their experiences with the cookies to social media sites to entice other consumers. 20,250 people will be chosen through Jan. 22 to taste the Oreos before they hit shelves in February.

The Red Velvet Oreos feature cream cheese- flavored filling sandwiched between two red cookie wafers, making them ideal themed treats for Valentine?s Day. The timing of their launch is appropriate, as red velvet is the anointed flavor for the February holiday.

Oreo Cookie is also promoting the treats on its Twitter account with a photo of a pink-tinged glass of milk with an Oreo in the corner, accompanied by the phrase ?Hey Milk, you?re blushing! What do you know that we don?t??

Nabisco, the manufacturer of the cookies, has said that the Red Velvet Oreos will be sold for a limited time of six weeks or until supplies run out.

Mondel?z International, which owns the Oreo brand, has been venturing into the world of different flavors only in the past decade. It rolled out vanilla-flavored Oreos in 2004, the first offshoot of the classic white and black cookie that was created in 1912.

Oreos are currently the world?s best-selling cookies.

Focus on mobile
Mondel?z has been turning its focus more heavily to the mobile sector in recent years, leading to its reception of the 2013 Mobile Marketer of the Year award (see story).

In November 2014, chocolate brand Cadbury saw a 70 percent click-through rate on a mobile campaign that introduced users to their perfect flavor of Dairy Milk chocolate products via a personalized video (see story).

The company has reportedly been shifting a higher focus to digital strategies, as it seeks to connect with consumers via media channels that they are spending increasing amounts of time on.

The Twitter frenzy regarding the Red Velvet Oreos announcement reflects consumers? tendency to turn to social media channels to express excitement over a product. The personal images uploaded by lucky fans that have tasted the new Oreos, generally filled with smiles and ecstatic messages, certainly act as an effective brand endorsement.

?In terms of mobile strategies when launching a new product from a well-known brand, anything that can personalize or customize the experience of the launch to the user through mobile capabilities would make it an effective tool,? Ms. Rajput said. ?Oreo took meaningful first steps in allowing fans and followers the chance to test the first, but extending that sense of exclusivity to everyone via mobile would keep potential customers from feeling left out of the loop.

?Apps that allow you to download your own Red Velvet Oreo wallpaper, make a Red Velvet Oreo playlist, or provide a Red Velvet Oreo filter (with branding) to your photos are easy ways to provide that sense of inclusive exclusivity that is most impactful when launching a new mass consumer product.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York