Oreo reintroduces 'culture of play' in China with new platform

Mondelēz International’s cookie brand Oreo has partnered with Leo Burnett Shanghai to bring back China’s 5,000-year-old culture of play with a platform called "Art of ‘Play".

The platform aims to address the problem of China’s decline in playing games despite the nation’s invention of some of the world’s most popular games. This comes as the brand realised Chinese children have the lowest average playtime in the world, just one hour per day.

Playtime has been replaced by stress, study and competition, and this pressure carries through into adult life when working 996 (9 am to 9 pm, six days per week) is commonplace.

Done in partnership with Leo Burnett Shanghai, “Art of Play” was first launched in the busiest subway in Shanghai with the recreation of a famous 1,000-year-old artwork in which ancient toys were controversially replaced with study tools and symbols of academic pressure.

The installation has sparked debate about why 5,000 years of playfulness is now forgotten and the importance of creating more balance in life in a more sustainable way.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Kit Koh, group executive creative director, Leo Burnett Shanghai, said Shanghai is nicknamed “China’s New York” and it is the city that best represents China’s unprecedented economic growth, and its high-pressure work and study culture. The campaign started from March 2024.

"Children are expected to perform far more on average, and this pressure carries through into adult life, where a Master’s degree is considered the baseline, and work is 9am-9pm, six days a week minimum," Koh added.

The launch of “Art of Play” marks the start of a long-term platform that aligns Oreo’s playfulness with China’s rich history, starting with toy design but extending to music, literature, art and sport over the coming months.

‘Art of Play’ was created as an ongoing platform to bring playfulness back to Chinese society by starting a conversation about its value and Chinese roots, said Koh.

The campaign aims to show its target audience including young adults, parents and educators that ‘play’ is a historically integral Chinese value through a 360-degree integrated brand experience encompassing OOH, influencer, social (UGC, owned/earned), strategic partnerships and the creation of an ownable branded experience: ancient Chinese toys redesigned in the Oreo aesthetic, available for purchase and donated to schools.

The brand's approach permeated the media and created a cultural conversation about the evolution of China’s national values. It also reinforced Oreo’s core value of playfulness in China.

Grace Zhu, vice president of marketing and growth at Mondelēz China, said: “China is the nation that brought board games, soccer and playing cards to the world, but these days, we have forgotten how to play.”

“Oreo’s vision is in our tagline, ‘Stay Playful’: as the world’s most playful cookie, our mission is to unlock playfulness in everyday life. Using toys as our medium, we are reconnecting China with its playful past and starting a conversation about creating a more balanced world for kids,” added Zhu. 

As part of the campaign, ‘Art of Play” has invited toy designer Lao Wang to redesign three iconic Chinese toys redesigned in Oreo’s signature black and white colours. The products include the Luban Lock (2,500 years old), the Kong Zhu (1,800 - 1,900 years old), and the Tangram (1,000 years old).

The toys were selected for their ability to unlock children’s creativity and the endless possibilities that come with it, reminding parents and teachers that creativity is just as important as self-discipline and academic diligence. 

Available for purchase as limited-edition kits on Tmall together with packs of Oreo cookies, the ‘Art of Play’ toys are donated to schools nationwide, helping teachers incorporate playfulness into their daily routines.

Natalie Lam, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe APAC, said: “Modern China gives the world a serious image of hyper competitiveness, technological innovation, and manufacturing prowess at breakneck speed.” 

“The lighter, optimistic side of the culture is often forgotten, yet it is a deeply ingrained truth that has existed for over 5,000 years. If you look at classic Chinese art, the subjects led very enviable leisurely lives – they’re always playing music, appreciating the moon, enjoying nature, fishing, or playing games,” continued Lam. “We wanted to bring some of that balance back into stressful modern life."

The initiative was amplified through a national influencer campaign, which reached 40 million fans across social platforms Weibo, Douyin and Xiaohongshu, sparking a debate about China’s lost playfulness and a reappraisal of the country’s long study and work hours, according to the release.

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