The Marketing Genius Hidden Inside a Fortune Cookie

A fortune cookie just taught me something about creating customer delight.

I recently ate at one of the best Chinese buffets I’ve ever visited. This one even had tacos.

At the end of the meal, our server dropped off the ubiquitous fortune cookie.

I cracked mine open and noticed something unexpected on the paper inside: a tiny QR code.

Curious, I scanned it.

It led to a landing page offering me…a second fortune.

Wait, what?

According to Wonton Food, the company that made the cookie, your first fortune may not always be the message you were seeking. So they give you another one.

Genius.

That QR code also introduced me to the company, which bills itself as the world’s leading fortune cookie manufacturer. I learned that they even makes fortune cookies in other flavors and colors.

This is an exceptional example of a B2B company creating a memorable experience for its customer’s customer.

Consider what Wonton Foods accomplished:

• It took an ordinary item handed to thousands of restaurant patrons every day and made it interactive.
• It extended a fleeting moment into a branded digital experience.
• It offered another positive message—and a small moment of delight.
• Then, instead of trying to sell directly to consumers, it encouraged them to visit their local Chinese restaurant for more cookies.

That last point may be the smartest part: Wonton Food created an experience that also supports its restaurant customers.

The idea probably wasn’t especially expensive or complicated. It simply required someone to recognize an overlooked opportunity hiding inside an everyday interaction.

What ordinary part of your customer experience could become a moment of delight?

I’m willing to bet there are several. You just have to look closely enough to find them.