OREO PUTS NEW SPIN ON ICONIC DUNKING RITUAL WITH LAUNCH OF OREO DUNK CHALLENGE

World’s No. 1 Cookie Kicks off Series of Innovative Dunks around the World with Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and Hands-Free OREO Cookie Dunking in New York City

NEW YORK -- Feb. 8, 2017 – Today, OREO – the world’s No. 1 cookie1 – launched the OREO Dunk Challenge, a global celebration of the brand’s iconic dunking ritual.  The campaign kicks off in the U.S. and will roll out to more than 50 countries around the world as part of the OREO brand’s ongoing Wonderfilled movement.  The OREO Dunk Challenge will feature a trio of high-profile dunkers, including International Recording Artist Christina Aguilera, Brazilian football star Neymar da Silva Santo, Jr. and Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal.  Shaq and fans will do the first official dunks of the campaign today at the birthplace of the OREO cookie in New York City.

OREO cookies and milk have gone together for many years -- and not just because they are a delicious dunking duo. Dunking an OREO cookie in milk has always been a fun way to create a playful moment that reminds us how extraordinarily special it can be to feel and wonder like a kid.

“OREO sees the world with childlike wonder and our iconic dunking ritual is the purest articulation of that vision,” said Justin Parnell, Global Brand Director, OREO. “When you dunk an OREO cookie in milk, you’re releasing a bit of childlike wonder from within, and it’s those types of moments that our brand was built on.  We’re thrilled to inspire fans to dunk OREO cookies on a global scale and inspire more moments of play and wonder around the world.”

U.S. fans who share their OREO cookie dunk on Twitter and Instagram using #OREODunkSweepstakes will be entered for a chance to win a Wonderfilled VIP dunking experience in New York or Los Angeles. Fans can also enter on Facebook by sharing their OREO cookie dunk and using the hashtag in response to an OREO Dunk Challenge post on the brand’s page.*

“I’m so excited to join the OREO Dunk Challenge,” said Christina Aguilera. “Dunking OREO cookies was a part of my childhood and I am excited to join Shaq and Neymar in this campaign! I can’t wait to hear of all the different dunks fans will come up with.”

OREO AND SHAQUILLE O’NEAL INTRODUCE “HANDS-FREE OREO COOKIE DUNKING”

Like Shaq himself, the dunk to kick off the OREO Dunk Challenge will be playfully larger-than-life.  Alongside OREO, Shaq challenges fans to “Hands-Free OREO Cookie Dunking” at Chelsea Market in New York City, the location of the original Nabisco bakery where the first OREO cookie was made.

OREO will demonstrate how a fan’s intense desire to dunk an OREO cookie in milk can actually move the treat toward its delicious fate – no hands necessary! State-of-the art, brain-computer interface software customized for the event tracks the concentration levels of event participants wearing brain-sensing headbands. Dunkers who reach a certain threshold of “cookie concentration” are able to move an OREO cookie toward a cold glass of milk without ever having to touch the cookie. 

“Dunking has been in my DNA for years, but it goes beyond basketball,” said O’Neal. “I’ve always loved dunking my OREO cookies in milk – it makes me feel like a kid like no other snack or treat, which is why I was excited to join the OREO Dunk Challenge.  Being able to kick off the campaign by doing my first-ever dunk without using hands will always be a great memory for me.”

THE OREO DUNK CHALLENGE INFILTRATES CULTURE

“We know that people across this country grew up dunking OREO cookies in milk,” said Patty Gonzalez, Director, OREO Equity, North America.  “Our goal is to not only recapture the simple magic of those moments, but to do so in a way that feels novel and fresh.  The OREO Dunk Challenge is a great way to inspire our fans by showcasing new, fun and innovative ways to dunk OREO cookies in milk, whether online, in-store, at-home or when enjoying some of our culture’s most high profile moments.”

Over the coming months, the OREO Dunk Challenge will continue to come to life through a diverse variety of collaborations designed to show fans new and unexpected ways to dunk OREO cookies in milk – again and again. These high-impact collaborations will integrate OREO cookie dunking into culture via dynamic activations and engaging experiences, including:

  • A collaboration with Google featuring a custom, global digital dunking mobile experience.
  • A Snapchat lens on February 12, 2017.
  • OREO Dunk Challenge onsite at the NCAA® Final Four® Fan Fest event in Phoenix.
  • A playful presence on milk containers across the country, featuring copy such as “Cookies Just Wanna Dunk.”
  • Large scale media partnerships, including an ABC takeover on LIVE! With Kelly, The Chew and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
  • TV spots featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Christina Aguilera and Neymar da Silva Santo Junior that put spectacular spins on the OREO cookie dunking ritual. Complementing these will be humorous, short form digital content that shows off the additional dunking skills – and unique personalities – of the campaign’s stars.

Follow @OREO on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram for more details on the OREO Dunk Challenge and to discover other playfully-delicious and unexpected ways to dunk an OREO cookie. For more fun facts on OREO cookies, see here.

About OREO
OREO is the world’s favorite cookie, enjoyed by families and friends in more than 100 countries around the world. OREO is the best-selling cookie of the 21st century with nearly $2.9 billion in global annual revenues. The OREO cookie’s “TWIST LICK DUNK” ritual has become the signature way to enjoy this iconic cookie in many different cultures around the world. OREO has a Facebook community of more than 40 million OREO lovers around the globe, representing 200+ countries and dozens of different languages. OREO ranks among the top five brand Facebook pages in the world. OREO celebrated its 100th birthday on March 6, 2012. Visit www.OREO.com for more information.

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is building the best snacking company in the world, with 2016 net revenues of approximately $26 billion. Creating more moments of joy in approximately 165 countries, Mondelēz International is a world leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages, featuring global Power Brands such as Oreo and belVita biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate; and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, NASDAQ 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to residents of the 50 U.S. States (including D.C.) and Puerto Rico, 18 and older. Ends at 11:59 pm ET on 4/30/17. To enter without purchase, take a photo or video of yourself with an Oreo product package in store. Void where prohibited. Visit www.OreoDunkSweeps.com for Official Rules including odds and prize descriptions. Sponsor: Mondelēz Global, LLC, 100 Deforest Ave., East Hanover, NJ 07936-2813.

1 Source: Euromonitor International Limited; Packaged Food 2017 edition, as per sweet and savoury biscuits definitions, retail value sales, rsp, 2016

Media Contacts:

Alan Keane
Weber Shandwick
[email protected]
212.445.8410

Richard Buino
Mondelez International
[email protected]
847.943.5678