"Brand extension" is business wisdom these days. That's the idea that if you sell a lot of your original thing, you should come up with a way to change it to make another thing that will sell even more.
Witness: Nabisco's Oreo cookie. Once the sublimely perfect combination of two crunchy chocolate cookies and a stiff, sweet white filling, the perfect thing to dunk in a glass of cold milk.
But then, regular Oreos begat Double Stuf (twice as much filling) begat Big Stuf (bigger cookies) begat Mini (bite-size). Then it took off: Pumpkin Spice Oreos, Cool Mint Oreos, Birthday Cake Oreos. When the Peeps Oreo arrived this year for Easter, we sort of hoped perhaps it was coming to an end.
No: Last week brought the newest Oreo innovation _ Fireworks Oreos. With a filling dotted with bits of Pop Rocks, the candy that fizzes in your mouth, it actually sounds kind of fun. Oreos that bite back? Well, why not?
Here's why not: The Pop Rock action is ultimately disappointing. Basically, you get gritty filling, more like "Beach Towel Oreo" than foaming, popping Oreo. The only action we got was tiny, short-lived and almost indetectable.
So will the Oreo creativity stop? Probably not: Along with the limited release of Fireworks Oreos, Nabisco is holding a contest, #MyOreoCreation. You post your idea for a new Oreo flavor on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtags #MyOreoCreation and #contest. If they pick your idea, you get a chance to win $500,000. There are other ways to enter: The details are at www.myoreocreationcontest.com.
Here's hoping someone will submit "Retro Oreo" _ two chocolate cookies, stiff, white filling and a cold glass of milk.
Oh, wait. That's a Hydrox.
