Oreos!

Today in class, we did a fun activity. Our professor had us each put on a blindfold, and then gave us a plastic bag with an unknown object in it. When it was placed in front of us, we had to use our senses of touch, feel, and taste to identify it. In about 10 seconds, many of us knew that it was in fact, an oreo!

Oreo is an instantly recognizable brand to many. I was excited when an oreo was placed in front of me, because it brings back so many childhood memories (not to mention it is delicious). Oreo, one of the Nabisco brands, has successfully created a product that has such a strong hedonic value. When people see, think of, or eat oreos, they are brought back to that childhood moment of eating oreos around the kitchen table. Oreo has successfully found a way to bring out people's emotional and nostalgic side, all from one little cookie!

So how does Oreo do this? I'm not quite sure. People have their own products that they used as a kid that become a part of their regular adult life as well. But, oreos are different- and I think this is because they are more of a product that people want, as opposed to what they need. They are dessert snack item, not by any means a necessity. Oreos have a special place for people because as young kids, they may have served as a reward. "If you eat all of your vegetables, you'll get dessert"- this is a common line my parents told my sisters and I over and over again. In many cases, that dessert was oreos with glass of milk.

There are many products that I had in my childhood that bring back memories. Juicy Juice, Hoodsie cups, both are things I loved having as a kid. What I think makes oreos so special is that they are a delicious treat for people at any age. I don't have any urge to drink Juicy Juice (it's obviously a beverage for children), but I still love a good oreo. This product doesn't just have one distinct target market. Although Oreo may try to market specific demographics for certain campaigns, I think the general target market is "oreo lovers".

When trying to relate this activity to a marketing concept, I think right to emotional appeals. This kind of emotional appeal seems different. Without seeing any sort of advertisement or promotional piece, I had an emotional connection with this brand. Their product is able to evoke emotion in people without even doing much. This makes me wonder, do brands have to continuously try and provide hedonic value and generate emotional responses, or is one time enough? If I feel nostalgia from this product one time, will I always feel that way about it?