How A Cookie Took Over The World (And Why China Dips It In Tang) 🍪

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Here's a wild stat: For every person reading this newsletter right now, there are 7.6 Oreos being eaten somewhere in the world.

This week, we're cracking open the story of how a cookie copycat (yeah, Oreo wasn't even original) turned into a $4B global empire by breaking every rule in the marketing playbook.

The Great Cookie Conspiracy 🍪

First, the plot twist nobody talks about: Oreo wasn't the original sandwich cookie. They copied something called "Hydrox" and just... marketed it better.

That's like finding out Facebook wasn't Zuckerberg's original idea- oh wait.

How To Make The World Crave Your Cookie 🤤 

Most global brands try to sell the same thing everywhere. Oreo? They said "nah" and did something fascinating instead:

✅ The "Every Market Is Different" Masterclass

1. The China Chronicles

   • Americans: "We love the cream!"

   • Chinese consumers: "Too sweet, make it less sweet"

   • Oreo: Creates green tea flavour with 27% less sugar

   • Result: Dominated the Chinese market

2. The Drink Dilemma

   • Americans: Milk and cookies

   • Europeans: "We drink tea, mate"

   • Chinese: "Pass the Tang"

   • Oreo: Creates different cookies for different drinks

   • Result: Every market feels like Oreo is "their" brand

The best global brands don't go global – they go local, everywhere.

✅ The Language of Snacking

Here's where it gets genius. Oreo doesn't just change flavours – they change entire stories:

• US ads: Grandparents teaching kids the Oreo ritual

• Chinese ads: Kids introducing Oreos to grandparents

• Indian ads: Cricket stars sharing Oreos

  Result→ Every market feels like Oreo understands them!

The Marketing Moves That Mattered:

👉️ The Size Revelation

• America: Big packages for big pantries

• Rest of the world: "Our kitchens are smaller..."

• Oreo: Creates market-specific packaging

  Learning: Sometimes your packaging matters more than your product

👉️ The Distribution Dance

• China: TV ads (because they build trust)

• South America: Billboards (because they drive more visibility)

• India: Cricket sponsorships (because mass reach)

👉️ The Trust Hack

• Different markets trust different things

• Solution: Print different certifications for different regions

• Example: "Christie Oreos" in Canada

• Result: Instant credibility in new markets

What This Means For Anyone Building Something:

1. Copy First, Innovate Later

   Oreo started as a copycat; but they innovated on distribution and marketing.

   Lesson: You don't need to invent something new. Build on what works already!

2. Think Local, Win Global

   Don't force one version everywhere; Let each market show you what they want and then give them exactly that!

3. Trust Matters More Than Taste

   Oreo isn't the best-tasting cookie but it's the most trusted cookie→That's worth $4B annually.

So next time you're dunking an Oreo in milk (or Tang, or tea), remember: You're not just eating a cookie. You're experiencing one of the most brilliant marketing adaptations in history.

Until next week..

P.S. While writing this, I discovered my "perfect" way of eating an Oreo is actually a carefully engineered marketing ritual. Well played, Oreo. Well played.