Friend or foe? How OREO and Coca-Cola perfected the art of brand collaboration

In the competitive world of food and beverage, two giants are proving that collaboration can be just as powerful as competition. OREO and Coca-Cola, two iconic brands in their own right, have recently teamed up to create limited-edition products that blend their unique identities. 

Inspired by "besties" around the world, the collaboration will see the launch of an OREO Coca-Cola sandwich cookie and Coca-Cola OREO zero sugar limited edition drink. According to Justian Edwin, co-founder and strategic lead of Katch, expressing the collaboration with "besties" is a clever move to ensure that neither partner in the collaboration is overshadowed. 

"This collaboration is a joint effort that still speaks about rivalry in the F&B category. With the consumer base share, high level of familiarity, and history values both brands have, the case of overshadowing is not something to worry about. Even the brand logos can speak for themselves as tools of distinctiveness of each," said Edwin. 

Don't miss: OREO partners Coca-Cola for bold red and black cookies, new drink flavour

For Edwin, potential partners need to be assessed based on the equal share of brand strength. This is especially since partnering with equal collaborators can ensure the partnership goes well without the risk of cannibalising each other. 

"Equal share of the consumer base can help with including a collaborating brand into each consumers’ repertoire, hence mutual growth. Equal history and brand values can ease the collaboration to thrive, as no brand is responsible to carry the baggage of uplifting another," said Edwin.

From the consumers’ POV, it’s also easier to identify the collaboration without a layering process of thoughts. Edwin added,

"Simply put, the collaboration is about to say, 'it’s a familiar surprise you will love to see'. Awareness checked, consideration checked."

Yaseinya Mira, co-founder and chief brand architect at Briburayu agreed with his point, adding that a well-designed narrative and share of visibility will ensure that neither partner is overshadowed. 

The limited-edition OREO Coca-Cola sandwich cookie boasts a distinctive design with a red and black colour-blocked design. It features one signature OREO chocolate Coca-Cola wafer cookie on one side and a red-coloured golden OREO wafer embossed with one of three unique designs on the other. The cookies are stuffed with a creamy filling and popping candy to mimic the experience of drinking the beverage.

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola OREO zero sugar limited edition drink will feature flavour hints inspired by OREO cookies. 

"Using friendship as a central theme has successfully demonstrated how the collaboration reflects the brand’s intention to create an equal partnership," said Mira. 

"From incorporating the term 'bestie' and popping candy on the OREO cream to mimic the fizziness of Coke, to stacking OREOs on Coke Zero cans. The concept of friendship is seamlessly and equally integrated across product design, packaging, and consumer activation," added Mira. 

As for identifying a partner to collaborate with, Mira said, 

"In my opinion, it's got to be friends or foe." 

For the friendship approach, the key is to understand how each brand's spirit can complement the other, she said. For instance, OREO's playfulness and Coca-Cola's embrace of magical experiences has turned their unlikely flavour combination into something both acceptable and exciting for fans of cookies and carbonated drinks. 

On the contrary, partnerships with foes will produce something "spicy and buzzy". 

"Find an entity that will help you showcase your strength for not fearing competition, but also reflect empathy at the same time," said Mira.

Some examples include Grab's 2021 campaign where it featured both Grab and Gojek drivers, or when Burger King popped a proposal to McDonald's to end their life-long rivalry though a product called 'McWhopper' on International Day of Peace. 

"Ultimately, the approach you choose should align with your business and marketing objectives. Are you aiming to enhance brand image, acquire new segments, or boost relevance through engagement?" said Mira. 

Success and benefits

Mira added that there are many ways to measure the success of such a collaboration. For brand measurement, Mira notes that it can be measured through awareness and supposed strengthened brand perception. 

Meanwhile, campaign measurement can be measured by how much conversations are generated from social media including media coverage and user-generated content. Sales, on the other hand, can be measured via volume increment and penetration into a new untapped market. 

The benefit of such a collaboration is that it helps expand both market reach - if nurtured properly. 

"It can also create memorable experiences that deepen consumer loyalty and engagement. One of the most exciting outcomes of a successful collaboration is the opportunity to open doors to further partnerships and co-creation with new partners, creating a platform for brands to remain relevant and engaging," said Mira. 

Edwin, on the other hand, said that a collaboration established by two giant brands can have high potential to be an evergreen IP.

"They’re no longer prioritising product adoption, now it’s about brand cult, I would say. Further IP production in any kind of format is a limitless potential for both OREO and Coca-Cola to have in the future. They can have new product development, brick and mortar stores for exclusive innovation, festivals, even TV shows together," he added. 

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