OREO Calls

Capitalizing on March Madness without traditional advertising, we transformed referee calls into interactive, shoppable moments that delighted fans and drove impressive sales results.

In the fiercely competitive advertising space of March Madness, brands typically invest heavily in high-profile partnerships, endorsements, and multi-million-dollar ads to capture massive viewership. Oreo faced the challenge of standing out in this crowded field without relying on these conventional methods. The objective was clear: to engage viewers in a memorable and interactive way, driving both brand engagement and sales.

The inspiration for this campaign came from the visual similarity between the iconic black-and-white stripes of referee jerseys and the distinctive design of Oreo cookies. By merging the two, Oreo saw an opportunity to create a unique and playful connection between the game and their product. This idea of transforming ordinary referee calls into something delightful and engaging for fans was a novel way to bring the brand to life during one of the biggest sporting events of the year.

Oreo decided to flip the script by leveraging the unique visual similarity between referee jerseys and Oreo cookies. The campaign turned every referee call into a shoppable Oreo moment. By reimagining each officiating call signal into playful cookie match-ups, viewers could scan the referees in real-time to unlock special offers. This innovative approach not only engaged viewers but also transformed the referees into interactive, brand-centric experiences.

The campaign was a resounding success. It generated over 100,000 live scans, with a remarkable 61% redemption rate, and achieved a 9.8% increase in direct sales compared to the prior year.