Dive Brief:

• Mondelez International brand Oreo has launched a commerce activation, dubbed “The Oreo Menu,” that aims to reenvision the internet’s ubiquitous three-line “hamburger menu” navigation tool as two stacked Oreo cookies, per details shared with Marketing Dive. 
• Key to the effort is a microsite where consumers can enter any tab or category name they see when clicking on the three-bar menu icon on the internet as a promo code to receive a deal for Oreo cookies that can be redeemed at Kroger as part of an exclusive partnership.
• The activation, created with agency VML, includes an explanatory video and is being driven by influencer content, along with digital and social media to drive engagement. The effort follows Oreo’s first Super Bowl ad in a decade earlier this year. 

Dive Insight:

Just in time for Google’s deprecation of the cookie, Oreo has found a way to tie itself to one of the internet’s well-known assets. The hamburger menu tool has been around since 1981, per release details, and earned its nickname by somewhat resembling a hamburger, with three horizontal lines that some say remind them of a top bun, middle patty and bottom bun. Where most see a sandwich, however, Oreo sees two stacked cookies.

The promotional site, oreomenu.com, is programmed to accept many of the terms consumers will find when the three-bar menu icon is clicked, such as “About,” “FAQ,” “Products,” and “More.” If a consumer enters a term that hasn’t been considered, they can still enter it — along with the URL where they found it — and receive a savings offer. The effort is an extension of Oreo’s “Stay Playful” platform. 

The Oreo Menu promo is a clever way to get people to notice an object they encounter every day and associate it with a brand, a tactic similarly deployed by brands like Doritos, with the hamburger menu now envisioned as an Oreo. That association is incentivized through the couponing component, which, though it requires an extra step, could compel consumers to actually purchase the product, a deal that is mutually beneficial for Kroger. 

“We have turned a regular online surfing experience into a fun treasure hunt for deals on cookies, thanks to our partnership with VML and Kroger,” said Jillian Durojaiye, director, shopper marketing, Mondelez International, in a statement. “This collaboration shows our commitment to continually pushing the boundaries of traditional shopper marketing strategies.“

Mondelez has ramped up its marketing around its Oreo brand lately. The brand made its first appearance during the Super Bowl broadcast in over a decade earlier this year, with a spot depicting people, including reality star Kris Jenner, making decisions by twisting an Oreo. The brand also teamed with Martha Stewart last year to make its debut in the metaverse while introducing what it called “The Most Oreo Oreo,” a limited-edition offering that featured Oreo grinds in the cookie’s creme.