Cheat Cookies

Read the campaign story

Oreo and Xbox introduced Cheat Cookies in 2023. D&AD describes special-edition cookies with controller-inspired embossments that could be arranged into combinations to unlock game content. The eligible games included Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite and Sea of Thieves. Saatchi & Saatchi Germany led the creative work. The physical cookie was therefore more than a surface carrying the partner’s logo: its design helped express the participation mechanic.

Saatchi’s case page reports rollout and item-unlock totals, but does not provide an independent comparison of sales with an equivalent non-gaming promotion. An item unlocked is also not necessarily a distinct participant. This study retains the campaign as one family across its markets and treats the reported activity as evidence that a participation system was implemented, not proof that the entire partnership caused profitable customer growth.

Editorial interpretation: many collaborations rely on the novelty of two names appearing together. Here, the product’s existing embossed surface could become a small interface. That creates a more concrete reason for the brands to meet: one contributes a tangible object, the other contributes a recognised interaction and reward. The partnership feels more integrated when each side supplies something necessary to the idea rather than merely renting the other’s audience.

Editorial interpretation: the same physical-digital bridge can introduce friction. People must understand the combination, access the website and satisfy the reward’s requirements. A delightful visual idea can become a support problem if game ownership, account rules or regional restrictions appear only after participation. The most useful adaptation is not to put codes on every product, but to identify a product behaviour that can naturally become a short, understandable interaction.

Make both partners necessary

Write down what each partner contributes beyond distribution and fame. If removing one logo leaves the experience unchanged, the collaboration may be decorative. Look for an existing product feature that can carry an interaction without compromising its normal use. Prototype with ordinary users before commissioning packaging or inventory. The best physical connection is usually something people can explain in one sentence, not a technical demonstration that requires a brand representative beside it.

Expose reward requirements early

Show eligible markets, games, devices, accounts and expiry dates before asking people to participate. Test the complete path on ordinary phones and imperfect connections. Provide an accessible alternative where camera recognition or visual pattern matching creates barriers. Count failed attempts and support requests alongside successful unlocks. A high redemption total can conceal a frustrating experience for many more customers, especially when the headline promise sounds simpler than the actual terms.

Separate play from extra consumption

A food-related game should not encourage unnecessary buying merely to complete an arbitrary collection. Consider participation routes that do not require repeated purchases and avoid pressure aimed at children. Evaluate whether people enjoy the experience or only tolerate it for the reward. Compare a simple partner offer with the more elaborate mechanic to understand whether the interaction adds value beyond the incentive. Enjoyment and commercial incrementality are different questions.

A small test for another brief

Prototype a non-food product or reusable card that unlocks a small digital experience with a partner. Use a test audience before committing to a production run.

Compare completion, time to reward, comprehension and voluntary replay with a plain redemption code. Measure purchase effects only with an appropriate comparison group.

Stop if reward availability is uncertain, participation encourages wasteful repeat buying, or the mechanic exposes unnecessary personal data.

• Agree rights, reward availability and the support owner before announcing the collaboration.
• Make a paper prototype of the interaction and publish concise eligibility rules.
• Observe complete attempts, including failures, and offer a straightforward accessible route.