Oreo owner Nabisco has announced that it will give consumers a chance to participate in the creation of its next flavor, which could mean prize money and other perks for some creative and lucky Oreo fans.
The Next Oreo Flavor Contest
Nabisco tells fans of its sandwich cookies to submit their ideas for the next Oreo flavor through Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #MyOreoCreation.
The prizes at stake are a $500,000 check and a trip package to New York City, which includes roundtrip airfare for two people as well as four days and three nights' stay at a hotel.
The winner will also get the chance to taste unreleased Oreo products, which include those planned for launch in the future and those that are still in their prototype phase. The grand prize winner also gets bragging rights for the flavor idea since Nabisco will produce and offer for sale the winning Oreo cookie creation in stores for a limited time.
Three finalists will also get a $25,000 check and the chance to have their Oreo cookie creation produced and sold in the market for a limited time.
The finalists will be chosen based on taste appeal (40 percent), creativity (30 percent), and originality (30 percent). The grand prize winner will be chosen via fan vote in July next year.
In case there's a tie, the submission that gets the highest taste appeal score will be chosen a finalist.
"The finalists will be contacted on or around Aug. 16, 2017. The grand prize winner will be notified late Summer 2018. The winner will be notified via the contact information provided upon idea submission," Nabisco said.
Firework: Oreo's New Flavor
The announcement for the new contest was made after Oreo unveiled its newest flavor "Firework" on May 8. It has been described as an Oreo with a 1970s candy Pop Rocks-flavored cream.
"As it turns out, much like actual fireworks, they're relatively enjoyable and kind of fun for while," wrote Food and Wine writer Adam Campbell-Schmitt. "After you chew for a bit, the popping candies begin to dissolve and fizzle in your mouth, sometimes for just a few second and sometimes, we found, for minutes afterward. And if you don't hate Pop Rocks (or joy), it's a surprisingly enjoyable addition to an already delicious cookie."
Nabisco said that it often receives ideas for filling flavors, so it decided to turn those suggestions into a contest.
"Our newest limited-edition flavor got us thinking - if we can create a Firework Oreo cookie, what else could we create? And who better to ask than those who are already sharing their flavor and creation ideas?" said Madeline Vincent, the company's brand manager.
Other Flavors
Oreo has tried several other flavors in the past. Included in these are banana split, berry burst ice cream, caramel apple, and cool mint. It also tried a watermelon flavor.
Oreo is the 21st century's best-selling cookie, boasting nearly $2.9 billion in global revenues per year.
