THE WORLD'S
FIRST SYNCHRONIZED
VENDING MACHINE.
Two strangers. One machine. Ten thousand samples. The activation that proved perfect matches can be engineered.
THE CHALLENGE
Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo needed to break through to students. Not just hand out samples and hope for the best. Create an experience that would drive trial, generate talkability, and make the brand feel essential to student life.
The brief was to design and activate a consumer trial and experience for Dairy Milk Oreo that would resonate with the target audience both online and offline. The product positioning was “The Perfect Match” - chocolate and cookie coming together. The activation needed to bring that concept to life in a way students would actually care about.
Students are skeptical of brands trying too hard. They see through gimmicks. They ignore generic sampling. The challenge was creating something genuinely engaging that didn't feel like marketing.
THE APPROACH
We designed and activated an integrated campaign centered around “The Perfect Match Machine” - the world's first interactive vending machine that required two consumers, often strangers, to play together and match their actions to receive a reward.
The concept was simple but brilliant: you couldn't win alone. Two people had to synchronize their movements to unlock the vending machine. Instant social interaction. Instant content. Instant fun.
We planned and activated a nationwide roadshow, complete with media, influencer, and broadcaster linkups with James Kavanagh, Spin FM, and Joe.ie. Each campus activation was designed to create maximum impact and shareability.
The machine wasn't just a sampling tool. It was an experience that students wanted to participate in, film, and share with their friends.
THE WORK
The Perfect Match Machine
An interactive vending machine unlike anything students had seen before. Two strangers approach. The machine challenges them to synchronize their actions - mirroring movements, timing perfectly, working together. When they succeed, they both win Dairy Milk Oreo bars.
The experience created instant connections between people who'd never met. It generated organic content as students filmed themselves and their friends attempting the challenge. It made sampling feel like an event, not a handout.
Nationwide Roadshow
The Perfect Match Machine toured campuses across Ireland. Each activation included media partnerships, influencer appearances, and broadcaster integrations that amplified the experience beyond just those physically present.
James Kavanagh brought his audience to the activation. Spin FM covered it live. Joe.ie created content that spread across social media. Every touchpoint reinforced the same message: Dairy Milk Oreo is the perfect match, and finding yours is fun.
THE RESULTS
The activation was a huge success, engaging students all across Ireland and distributing 10,000 samples. But more than the numbers, it created genuine talkability. Students shared videos of themselves playing the game. They talked about the experience. They remembered the brand.
The campaign performed so well that Cadbury extended it for a second brand roadshow. The Perfect Match Machine went from a one-time activation to a touring flagship experience.
The success came from understanding the student mindset. They don't want to be marketed to. They want experiences worth participating in. Give them that, and the rest becomes easy.
“When you understand the student mindset, and show up in a way that connects with that; the rest becomes easy.”
— Andrew Casey, CEO, Headcase