VML just took OREO’s playfulness off the shelf and onto the sidewalk. With “OREO Walks,” the agency transformed crosswalks outside select Kroger stores into cheeky, shoppable out-of-home—turning the familiar black-and-white stripes into a towering side view of stacked OREO cookies, complete with minimalist faces “snacking” as you step across.
Rolling out in cities like Cincinnati and Columbus, the installations intercept shoppers before they even grab a basket. A QR code on the pavement (and oreo.com/oreowalks) unlocks a special in-store offer, nudging impulse buys from people who didn’t plan a cookie run. It’s creative commerce at the moment of intent: awareness and conversion in the same stride.
“It’s a great reminder that creativity doesn’t just build awareness, it drives purchase,” said Carly Kerlakian, Director of Omnichannel Activation at Mondelēz International. The tactic shifts OREO from product to behavioral cue—priming the craving right at the entrance and giving shoppers a frictionless path to pick up a pack.
The visual system sticks to OREO’s refined black-and-white identity from recent years, leaning into minimalist character art with graphic discipline. The result is a rare level of craft for grocery-adjacent OOH—especially in parking lots—while staying unmistakably OREO.
It works because the placement has purpose—situated outside the store, it intercepts shoppers before their lists are locked. The scan-to-save mechanic transforms a playful surprise into a measurable action via QR codes and instant offers. And by transforming the crosswalk into the cookie itself, the brand becomes part of the environment, embedding OREO in real-world movement rather than just another ad.
“OREO Walks” proves creative commerce doesn’t have to interrupt to influence. By baking the brand into everyday infrastructure, VML and OREO created a joyful, strategic trigger that’s impossible to miss—and easy to act on.
CREDITS:
BRAND: OREO, Momdelēz International
Team: Carly Kerlakian
AGENCY: VML
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