www.fastcocreate.com/3055621/adam-lambert-sings-for-oreo-in-new-global-ad-campaignADAM LAMBERT SINGS FOR OREO IN NEW GLOBAL AD CAMPAIGN
BY JEFF BEER
Global brand director Jennifer Hull talks about teaming with Lambert, and how the brand collaborates with artists.
At first glance, the new global spot for Oreo, with its whimsical animation and get-stuck-on-loop-in-your-head-for-the-rest-of-the-day jingle is exactly what you'd expect from the cookie brand. It's simple and it fits. But as easy as that sounds, even the most casual of ad watchers knows how often brands instead opt for convoluted and crappy.
The spot launches Oreo's new "Open Up" campaign, by The Martin Agency, which is rolling out in 50 countries and aims to convey the brand's message of people opening their hearts to those different from us. It's an extension of the brand's long-running "Wonderfilled" campaign that launched in 2013. The jingle is actually sung by Adam Lambert, the latest in an impressively eclectic list of artists the brand has worked with over the years, including Kacey Musgraves, Owl City, Tegan and Sara, and more.
Of course working with Lambert also seems like a no-brainer. He's a pop star with a huge social following and fan base (not to mention he just snagged an extremely high-profile role in the Rocky Horror Picture Show remake for Fox TV), but Oreo's global brand director Jennifer Hull says that the brand's criteria for working with artists goes beyond sheer popularity.
"We look for someone who exemplifies the trademark elements of Oreo—openness, curiosity, and play—and then what their unique approach can bring to the campaign with their voice and music," says Hull. "It’s a way to keep things fresh and relevant. We were looking for somebody who embodied the inclusive spirit of the campaign, but also the lyrics and spot have a great energy about them so we wanted someone who could deliver on that energy as well. We’ve followed Adam on his incredible journey from American Idol to now, so it’s clear he has a really strong following and we’re thrilled with the optimism, hopefulness and overall energy he brings to the campaign."
Lambert told Billboard he's always wanted to work on a jingle. "It was always this fantasy—wouldn’t it be such a treat to record a song for a TV commercial?"
The agency wrote the lyrics and Hull says Lambert collaborated in the studio to bring his own take to the work. "We write the lyrics before speaking with the artists, but a lot of the collaboration happens in the studio, in this case working with Adam in how he could bring these lyrics to life," says Hull. "He brought so much to the table and really delivered what we had ultimately had in our minds."
While Lambert's version will feature around the world, in some markets the lyrics will be adapted by a local artist as well. Emerging markets have played a key role in the brand growing from $2 billion in 2011 to $2.5 billion in 2014. Oreo's Top 5 most popular markets are U.S., China, Venezuela, Canada and Indonesia, followed by UK, Mexico, Spain, France, and India.