A bright turquoise-blue garage door stood out on an otherwise unassuming block in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. A giant Oreo cookie affixed to the front was even more unusual. It was part of Oreo’s “Wonder Vault” activation, a one-day pop-up on February 2 that introduced a new flavor to consumers.
The brand’s Wonder Vault campaign launched as a digital video, imagining a bakery that develops new cookie flavors. (The company has as many as 50 prototype flavors and 100 more ideas in the works at one time.) The activation for the new, limited-edition “filled cupcake” flavor of Oreos brought the concept to life by offering a glimpse into the bakery’s whimsical machinery through a giant Oreo cookie “portal.”
New Yorkers lined up for a chance to open the cookie door, which revealed a scene that contained frosting-capped cocoa mountains and a mini conveyor belt. After pulling the lever, a brown paper box that contained a mini sleeve of the new flavor slid down to them.
“The idea to create an experience around it in New York City stemmed from feedback we’ve received indicating consumers’ desire to learn more about our innovation process,” said Elise Burditt, brand manager of Oreo North America. “While we’re determined to keep some of the mystery alive, we were excited to give consumers a peek into what goes into our flavors with a real-world installation.”
More than 900 people stopped by the activation.