Another retail campaign that piqued my interest at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, was Oreo’s “Name This Oreo” by VML. It picked up a Gold Lion in Audio & Radio and was also recognised in Social & Influencer and Direct. And honestly, it’s no surprise.

At its core, Oreo’s idea was simple but so smart. They leaned into a quirky internet theory that the name “Oreo” comes from the structure of the cookie itself: “O” for the chocolate wafers and “RE” for the creme filling in the middle. Instead of just telling this story, they turned it into an interactive audio game that felt fresh and fun.

Fans were invited to visit NameThisOREO.com and try to “speak Oreo”, saying things like “O-RE-O” or “O-RE-RE-O” into their phone mics, depending on the cookie combination shown on screen. If they got it right in time, they unlocked exclusive offers.

What I love here is that it wasn’t just a clever idea; it was brilliantly executed. The use of voice tech made it feel playful and human, while the simple mechanic turned a passive audience into active participants. Instead of pushing a product, they invited people to play with it.

The results? Pretty incredible. During the eight-week activation, unit sales jumped by over 17%, household penetration increased by 6%, and shopping trips went up nearly 10%. The Oreo website saw a 68% traffic spike, and the campaign reached 350 million people across social channels. All of this from asking people to say a few silly cookie sounds.

For retailers and marketers, there’s a big lesson here: people don’t just want to buy a product, they want to engage with it. “Name This Oreo” is a great example of how you can turn a brand story into an experience, one that’s playful, shareable, memorable, and actually drives sales.

If you haven’t seen it yet, watch the case study here. It’s a brilliant reminder that sometimes the simplest ideas, the ones that make people smile and lean in, are often the most powerful.