Oreo Wins The Superbowl Ad Wars With A Timely Tweet

from the cost-less-than-$3.5-million dept

Yesterday was the day that, each year, proves that people do not in fact hate advertising. They actually like it quite a bit if the advertising is good. What they hate is crappy and annoying advertising. Of course, every Super Bowl, various brands duke it out to see who can get the most bang for their buck in Super Bowl advertisements -- which this year went for a cool $3.5 million for a basic spot. Still, many people are pointing out that the real winner of the Super Bowl advertising fight wasn't from one of the TV commercials at all, but rather Oreo's advertising agency, who sprung into immediate action when the power went out at the Super Bowl. Within just a few minutes (I think slightly less than 15), Oreo had put out the following tweet:
Just in case you can't see the embed, it says "Power out? No problem." And then had the following image with the caption "You can still dunk in the dark."
A few other brands got out some clever tweets, such as Walgreens tweeting that it carries candles or Audi tweeting that it was sending some LEDs over to the Super Bowl. Twitter claims that four minutes after the lights went out an advertiser had already bid on "power outage" as a search term (you'd think "black out" might have been more effective). But Oreo actually got that graphic together, with the caption, and got it all up online quite quickly. I'm in awe, given that with big brands you normally expect there to be a bit too much red tape and "approvals" for anything like that. For Oreo, the key to having this work was that its ad agency folks and all of the key people from Oreo were in a room together, so the approvals went fast.

Tide also got a "blackout" graphic and joke online, three minutes after Oreo. It put up a weak image with a caption: "We can't get your blackout, But we can get your stains out." Kudos for trying, but definitely a step behind Oreo.

It's worth noting, by the way, that Oreo did, in fact, pay for a Super Bowl commercial as well, though it was showing up on lists of the worst Super Bowl commercials of the year. Whoever came up with the image and the tweet in record time may have saved the Super Bowl for Oreo.

Of course, all of this does raise a larger point about marketing and advertising these days. Doing a good job often has less to do with how much money you spend than with how good you are at actually connecting with people -- and a well-timed tweet and graphic can do wonders.
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Filed Under: advertisements, blackout, fast reactions, social media, super bowl
Companies: audi, oreo, walgreens


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  • icon
    Ninja (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 2:33am

    Idiom

    Took me a few minutes to understand it. From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dunk


    dunk (dngk)
    n.
    1. The act or an instance of dunking.
    2. A liquid or creamy food into which other foods are dunked.
    3. Basketball A dunk shot.

    So we get a triple score here! 1- immerse you in the experience of Oreo, 2- The cookie itself (2 crispy parts "immersed" in creamy fillings) and 3- basketball pun in a football match.

    If I got it right then hats off to the team, it's plain epic! Advertisement for me is associated with annoying, invasive and visually unpleasant lately. However, done right it can be epic.

    Btw, English natives please correct me if I'm wrong. The non-English native readers in TD appreciate!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 2:52am

      Re: Idiom

      I think you've read way too much into it. :)

      Oreos are famous for being cookies that you're supposed to "dunk" into milk before eating...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Ninja (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:18am

        Re: Re: Idiom

        Oh I'd never dunk that type of cookie in milk so I'd never imagine it's just some usual habit. Thanks!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Zos (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:12am

          Re: Re: Re: Idiom

          whatwhatwhat? you have no idea what you're missing

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Donnicton, 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:48am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Idiom

            I don't know if - strictly speaking - it's appropriate to use the insightful button here, but I did anyway.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Dale, 10 Feb 2013 @ 11:19am

          Re: Re: Re: Idiom

          It's probably the only reasonable way people can eat those nasty things without hurting themselves. Aside of the infamous sickly-sweet white filling, non-dunked Oreos are hard as a sea biscuit... and when you manage to take a bite after all, they crumble into razor-sharp fragments. I suppose Americans got mouths with extra durable lining or something. *grin*

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        FighterFei, 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:18am

        Re: Re: Idiom

        Well you could also call Jacoby's 108yd returning touchdown a dunk, too. In a sense. You know that stung.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        The Groove Tiger (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 6:24am

        Re: Re: Idiom

        I dunk mine in beer.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Aria Company (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:44am

    Article tl;dr: ads are only good once a year, and with a $3.5Million price tag, of course they're going to try to be good.

    For the rest of the 364 days: too bad, suckers!


    /heh

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ike, 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:55am

    I think the winning tweet was the one from Audi America:

    Audi @Audi
    Sending some LEDs to the @MBUSA Superdome right now...

    (Mercedes-Benz giving its name to the superdome)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Zakida Paul (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:56am

    Oreos suck. Here's a tip. Instead of spending such ridiculous amounts of money on advertising, how about spending that on making a product that people want to buy?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      G Thompson (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 4:49am

      Re:

      Tim Tams!!! The biscuit of Kings and chocophiles everywhere!


      Oh that's right, you're all over in America where cookies are not biscuits and biscuits are scones and scones are... WFT are scones (with cream and Jam [what you call preserve]) called??

      Though calling Grid Iron Football is sorta strange, though calling it a Game is even stranger..

      *runs now*

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Zakida Paul (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:37am

        Re: Re:

        Couldn't agree more. I'm from Northern Ireland where we refer to biscuits(cookies), buns(cakes), baps(buns), scones(biscuits), and jams(jellies). The American words are in brackets.

        PS the biscuit of kings is the choccy Hob Nob.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:15am

        Re: Re:

        There is a difference between jelly (or jam) and preserves. Preserves actually have the fruit in it where as jelly and jam are made just from the juice.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 10:06am

          Re: Re: Re:

          In jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice.
          In jam, the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit (and is less stiff than jelly as a result).
          In preserves, the fruit comes in the form of chunks in a syrup or a jam.

          So all are different in their own special way. At least they aren't marmalade.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 10:15am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            I wasn't aware of a difference between jelly and jam. We've always used those two terms interchangably.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        John Fenderson (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:53am

        Re: Re:

        Scones are called scones.

        The difference there is that I believe "scones" in the UK refers to what we call "biscuits" here, and "scones" here refer to a particular kind of what we call "biscuits".

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 10:09am

          Re: Re: Re:

          In the US scones are sweet.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            John Fenderson (profile), 5 Feb 2013 @ 10:33am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Not always. There are a great variety of savory scones. It has more to do with the texture and type of leavening.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 4:26am

    What is this Super Bowl you talk of?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 4:41am

      Re:

      Its some sort of ritual combat that takes place in 10 second bursts between adverts.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      G Thompson (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 4:54am

      Re:

      Think of soccer or Rugby.. then totally wipe it out of your mind and then think of a game like chess, played with two sides each with two teams each (offence and Defence cause one person can't be smart enough to play both.. oh noes) and then wrap them up in the most amount of protection you can find so they don't get no boobies or oweis. Then make it go for more than 2 hrs at a time (sometimes LOTS more) then basically to watch it you will realise why the American's are so passionate about 'watching' their Gridiron with Lots and Lots of Snacks and Beer.

      Though I could be wrong

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Mr. Applegate, 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:05am

        Re: Re:

        not all Americans watch football or eat snacks or drink beer.

        For some it is 'just another day'.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          John Fenderson (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:56am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Indeed! I only personally know three people who watch football at all (I'm not one of them). I don't drink beer. But I do eat snacks.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Zakida Paul (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:37am

        Re: Re:

        Soccer? What's that? It's football where I come from.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Berenerd (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 6:29am

        Re: Re:

        Its much like the Irish vs British soccer games, only less guns and mauling by the fans.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 7:58am

        Re: Re:

        American football is just different than soccer or rugby. The positions are more specialized and the plays are more setup and choreographed.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      nospacesorspecialcharacters (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 4:55am

      Re:

      They mean the Pooper Hole.
      .
      .
      .
      Come on guys, let's get this one rolling...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      martyburns (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:03am

      Re:

      I think its a bit like rugby but for pussies.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:11am

      Re:

      It is a game for the wii.

      It uses 100 pins instead of the usual 5 or 10.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Digitari, 4 Feb 2013 @ 5:13am

    RE: Super

    Super bowl, is that not the Crapper Superman uses??






    *I hate (watching) sports, I am not typical of Americans

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Spaceman Spiff, 4 Feb 2013 @ 7:34am

    Kick me, harder!

    Dunkin Donuts has to be kicking themselves right about now as this would have been a natural for them - doh! :-)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    weneedhelp (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 7:59am

    Oreos

    Take 2, slather peanut butter in between then dunk.

    A perfect treat after a super bowl.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:35am

      Re: Oreos

      They make those too already. My wife loves the peanut butter oreos.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Nastybutler77 (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 8:23am

    Based on many of these anti-football comments, I'm going to go out on a limb and say there's a high percentage of commenters who fall into one or more of the following catagories:
    A) Aren't from the US
    B) Got picked on by football players in high school
    C) Are/were big fans of Magic: The Gathering
    D) Didn't lose their virginity until their 20's

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      weneedhelp (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 8:48am

      Re:

      Tsk tsk NB

      A) Aren't from the US - Philadelphia, PA
      B) Got picked on by football players in high school - Football guys were ok, I played baseball.
      C) Are/were big fans of Magic: The Gathering - Played D&D at camp.
      D) Didn't lose their virginity until their 20's - 15

      Ahem! FOOTBALL SUCKS!!!!! I just dont like it. I would rather watch 20 hours of The Isle of Man footage, Formula One, and repeats of That Metal Show than be subjected to 1 minute of Football.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:39am

        Re: Re:

        I grew up watching and playing football. Never really cared much for baseball until I met my wite who was a huge fan. I still prefer football to baseball even though I don't watch it as regularly as I used to. Now I mostly follow the PGA tour.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2013 @ 9:02am

      Re:

      Most people here has the attention span required to follow a discussion, and so probably prefer entertainment where they don't have to multi-task to avoid boredom.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    btr1701 (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 11:36am

    Ads

    > Yesterday was the day that, each year,
    > proves that people do not in fact hate
    > advertising. They actually like it quite a
    > bit if the advertising is good. What they
    > hate is crappy and annoying advertising.

    Actually, what most people hate is the repitition and quantity of the ads.

    Even those clever Super Bowl ads will be fast-forwarded through in the weeks to come as people-- having already seen them many times-- will become sick of them and just want to get back to the actual show they tuned in to watch. And when you put so many of them together that they ad up to over five minutes of non-stop ads, all the cleverness in the world won't stop people from hitting FFW.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    btr1701 (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 11:44am

    Ambush

    > I'm in awe, given that with big brands you
    > normally expect there to be a bit too much red
    > tape and "approvals" for anything like that.

    I predict that instead of celebrating the cleverness of this sort of marketing, at some point one of these big events will go after the next Oreo for 'ambush marketing' and making money off the event without paying to be a sponsor. They usually do it by trademarking all the possible words associated with the event, but in a case like this, where there's nothing to trademark ahead of time, I can see them still stamping their foot like petulant children and whining about unfair it is that a company was able to capitalize off the Super Bowl or the Olympics (or whatever) without having to pay for the privilege.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Suzanne Lainson (profile), 4 Feb 2013 @ 12:10pm

    How Oreo was ready to take advantage of the blackout

    How Oreo Culture-Jacked The Super Bowl - Speakeasy - WSJ: “Because Oreo was a Super Bowl advertiser, we had set up a team of folks at our offices with people from Oreo as well to both listen to and optimize the chatter on the Internet,” Sarah Hofstetter, president of 360i told Speakeasy via email. “While we certainly didn’t expect the blackout, the team’s first instinct upon the blackout was to figure out how Oreo can be relevant in the moment. Having a full team of creative, social media experts and the brand made it quick and seamless.”

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Michele, 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:37pm

    Dunkle also means dark in German

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous, 4 Feb 2013 @ 3:54pm

    I didn't watch the game or pay any attention to the commercials. Beyonce's halftime show is all I wanted to see...and it was AWESOME!!!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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