The Oreo made its debut on March 6, 1912 when the National Biscuit Company (a/k/a Nabisco) sold the now-iconic cookie to grocer S. C. Thuesen of Hoboken, NJ. Back then, Oreo cookies were sold in bulk, packaged in tins and priced at 30-cents a pound.

Today, Oreo is the best-loved cookie in the world and the most successful cookie brand of this century, according to its present owner, Kraft Foods (www.KraftFoodsCompany.com). The company reports that more than 362 billion Oreos have been sold in more than 100 countries, including Argentina, Central America, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and Venezuela. The chocolate sandwich cookie with creme filling earns Kraft Foods $2 billion annually in global sales. Sweet!

The Oreo cookie’s 100th business anniversary is being celebrated in a yearlong, worldwide, fully integrated marketing campaign that includes traditional and new media, public relations, store events and promotions and a limited-edition Birthday Cake Oreo cookie. This 100th business anniversary cookie features colorful sprinkles in the creme filling and a special design embossed on the chocolate wafers.

The 100th business anniversary web page (www.Oreo.com/birthday) and the 100th business anniversary Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Oreo) invite visitors to “Celebrate the Kid Inside” through:

  • Oreo Moments Gallery: Fans can share photos, videos and stories of their favorite cookie.
  • Oreo Cookie Gram: Fans can purchase packages of Oreo cookies for friends with Smartphones.
  • Oreo Birthday Notes: Fans can send a personalized video birthday message to friends from Oreo and Lady Antebellum.
  • Oreo Birthday of the Day: Fans who share an Oreo Moment and reveal their birthdates have a chance to be featured in the “Birthday of the Day” on their birthdays throughout 2012.

Happy 100th business anniversary to a cookie loved by kids of all ages — Oreo! Sweet!

Blogger  Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of
Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm,
specializing in marketing, public relations and business anniversary consulting
services. The firm  created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business  anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary
“sell”-abrations. Download free copies of “The Bartel Years™” and the special
report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas for SELL-abrating Your Business
Anniversary” at this link: http://www.paulinebartel.com/services/corporate-services/business-anniversary-consulting