Don't Worry: Those Singers On The Street Are Just Selling Oreos
If you work in New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles and had to walk more than a couple of blocks to your office this morning, odds are you passed by a small group of people on the corner wearing matching T-shirts, singing. This isn't a spontaneous burst of spring joy, it's part of a well-orchestrated marketing campaign courtesy of Oreos.
The campaign, imagined by The Martin Agency, is anchored by a new 90-second animated commercial that premiered on Sunday's episode of Mad Men, featuring a song called "Wonderfilled" sung by Owl City in which historic and cultural events are imagined with a different outcome if Oreos had been there to intervene (for example, would the big bad wolf "bring the pigs cool stuff?"). According to Fast Company, additional spots will feature new singers and musical styles, but will keep the same theme.
So where do the street singers fit into all this? There are 500 of them nationwide, and they're positioned at prime corners in the three cities, singing a cappella versions of the jingle and handing out free Oreos. If you missed them today, they'll be sticking around for a few more days, just to make sure the catchy tune is stuck in everyone's head.