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Each month, we here at IDG Advertising showcase a brand that we believe stands a head above the rest when it comes to their social media game. Social media has quickly become an essential part of a good digital marketing strategy, and some brands have identified how to engage with their followers and build their brand name by creatively utilizing social platforms. This month our social shoutout goes to one such brand: OREO!
What is OREO?
Oreo, first introduced in 1912, is a brand of cookie manufactured by Nabisco. Oreo is the bestselling cookie in the United States and has branded itself “Milk’s Favorite Cookie.” Oreos are available in over one hundred different countries, and hundreds of permanent and limited-edition flavor varieties have been introduced over the years.
How did we discover OREO?
Oreo is a brand we’ve all grown up with, from school lunch snack packs to after-dinner treats. It’s hard to recall a time when Oreo wasn’t a name we were all familiar with. However, it’s only within the last four to five years that Oreo has emerged as a social media savvy brand that knows how to launch a viral campaign time and time again successfully.
How well does OREO know their audience?
With an audience as varied as Oreo’s, it can be difficult to pinpoint a specific type of content that will appeal to all of your followers. The content that teenage boys are more likely to interact with is probably not the same type of content that a housewife would enjoy. However, they’ve done a great job of balancing beautiful photography and current Internet trends to create an aesthetically pleasing feed that offers a playful sense of humor. Oreo’s social media presence plays with our sense of nostalgia in order to appeal to the kid in all of us.
What can you take from OREO?
With 850k followers on Twitter, 2.5m followers on Instagram, and 42.5m Likes on Facebook, Oreo has clearly established itself as a brand whose content is worth engaging with. If you need to improve your engagement levels, here are some tips to take from Oreo:
- Make the most of trends, holidays, and partnerships. Oreo is great at capitalizing on events such as national holidays, pop culture events, and Internet trends. For example, they joined in on the April Fools jokes by jokingly announcing the release of a reverse Oreo with creme surrounding the cookie. They also celebrated National Sibling Day by posting a picture of cookie dough and tagging Chips Ahoy (their sister brand), teasing that it was the brand’s baby photo. Most recently, they’ve partnered with Game of Thrones for its final season, releasing a limited-edition GoT-themed cookie and posting daily Game of Thrones content that related to that week’s episode. By talking about what the Internet is discussing most, people are more likely to find your content when browsing the site. Not only that, but they’ll be more likely to follow you and engage with the content since it’s relevant to today’s trending topics and users’ interests.
- Repost your tagged content. Oreo’s feed is filled not only with official promotional images, but it’s also filled with their followers’ content. Oreo constantly reposts photos they’ve been tagged in that creatively incorporates their product. This encourages engagement across their platforms and earns them free exposure as people post Oreo photos in an attempt to earn a place on Oreo’s feed. Encourage your followers to interact with your product and tag you in order to generate free promotion and increase engagement levels.
- Incorporate a good sense of humor. There’s nothing the Internet appreciates more than humor and self-deprecation, especially from large brands and corporations. Oreo doesn’t take itself too seriously, which appeals to their followers. This can be seen in their playful interactions with other brands such as Chips Ahoy and Playstation. It’s even in their social media bios, with their Instagram summary reading “Playful moments from your favorite cookie.” Although the appropriate level of humor will vary depending on the industry you’re in, there’s always room for some lightheartedness in your content. Jokes, memes, and playfulness will go a long way in earning you new followers on just about any platform.
How do you make a simple sandwich cookie an Internet sensation? It seems Oreo’s figured that out. From their crazy flavors to their pop culture partnerships and their playful interactions, Oreo is making their social presence known and growing their fanbase at a rapid pace. In order to keep a legacy brand relevant, you need to grow with technology and evolve with the times. No brand has done that better than Oreo.
Stay tuned every month for another social shoutout. Is there a company you think excels at social content? Let us know, and you may see them featured here next month!
