Dive Brief:
- Mondelez International's cookie brand Oreo Chocolate is sponsoring an IMDb live viewing party of the Oscars, according to a company press release. The broadcast will be the first-ever official streaming companion show to the storied film awards. IMDb and Oreo's Hollywood viewing party will start streaming at 5 p.m. PST on Feb. 26 from the film forum's website, on Twitter and on Twitch.
- In separate news, Oreo has partnered with Google's internal creative team ZOO for a stratospheric extension of its digital cookie dunk campaign, MediaPost reports.
- Users can now "send" an Oreo into space to dunk into a glass of milk somewhere across the globe. The virtual cookie dunk has users scan an actual Oreo cookie with a mobile device, swing the device to "launch" the cookie into space and then track the cookie's progress via Google Earth to an eventual landing, which will be shown in Google Street View.
Dive Insight:
The two promotions are the latest examples of Oreo's dedication to innovative, digital-first marketing efforts. Live streaming companion shows to destination viewing TV events like the Oscars have exploded in popularity over the past 12 months or so, and the Mondelez brand is smart to hop on the trend as a brand partner.
If IMDb's viewing party is a hit — and it very well might be given the high turnout for Twitter's recent streaming of a Grammys preshow — the event might become an annual recurrence, giving Oreo a potential opportunity in the same way certain beer brands consistently serve as official sponsors for things like the Super Bowl. Social platforms like Twitter are pushing hard to turn live viewing into a source for new advertising dollars and branded sponsors will inevitably become a critical part of those strategies.
The virtual cookie dunk is part of a broader Oreo Dunk Challenge push that includes a number of channels ranging from social to in-person activations. Its latest upgrade adds another layer of interactivity and the ability to launch an Oreo virtually into space is a cool spin on the idea.
The social component of the promotion encourages users to share their "dunks" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #OREODunkSweepstakes for the chance to win prizes. The effort also includes a Snapchat Sponsored Lens.
