Dive Brief:
- Oreo has teamed with BTS for the K-pop group's first global snack partnership, according to a press release. The effort includes a campaign spanning more than 80 countries, a new flavor and a digital activation.
- A new, limited-edition cookie flavor is based on the popular Korean street food hotteok, a sweet pancake stuffed with brown sugar and other fillings. The cookie will also feature Oreo’s first purple wafer, a color closely associated with the group, that will be stamped with different designs.
- Consumers will be able to scan an on-pack QR code starting June 8, to help write the “world’s largest love letter to BTS.” Letter writing is another hallmark of BTS’s fanbase, known as “ARMY.” Those who submit letters will be eligible to win prizes from Oreo and BTS.
Dive Insight:
Oreo, a Mondelēz International brand, is looking to leverage the global fan base of the K-pop group BTS to tap into culture and generate significant online chatter. The limited-edition cookie and corresponding campaign is meant to evoke key elements of K-pop and Korean culture in an effort to integrate the brand as part of the fan experience.
Accompanying the campaign is a 15-second spot featuring group members interacting with the purple cookies in an environment reminiscent of a busy Seoul city street at night. The ad features BTS’s song “Hooligan,” which was released on the band’s 10th studio album “Arirang,” on March 20, 2026. The album is the first from the group after members took a hiatus while they completed their mandatory military service.
“At its core, this partnership is about shared passion. We’re uniting BTS' incredibly dedicated fanbase with our own loyal Oreo fans to create something genuinely new and exciting,” said Matt Foley, vice president of marketing for Oreo, in press materials. “It’s this commitment to uniting our fanbases that keeps us at the forefront of pop culture and demonstrates how a brand with a rich history can continue to lead the conversation.”
The limited-edition cookies can be combined to spell out a message, playing into K-pop collectible culture. K-pop fans have been known to spend a significant amount of money on concert tickets and merchandise, such as elaborately packaged albums and photo cards.
Oreo has frequently used QR codes in the past, including as part of a crosswalk installation outside of select Kroger locations. They were also used as part of a metaverse activation with Martha Stewart.
In January, Mondelēz International announced that it was planning to conduct a creative agency review after the appointment of a new senior vice president and global head of consumer experience. The company had a Q1 revenue of $10.08 billion, an 8.24% year-over-year increase, per an earnings release.
