Case Study: Fortune Favors the Streamer

Hulu is where storytelling meets innovation, redefining the way audiences experience entertainment. With a vast library of hit TV shows, movies, and original content, Hulu offers something for everyone—whether you're in the mood to laugh, cry, or escape into another world. From next-day network streaming to award-winning originals, Hulu delivers content on your terms, whenever and wherever you want it.

Hulu’s mission was simple but bold: promote their show Everything’s Gonna Be Okay by reaching people in the middle of their daily grind with a message of positivity and reassurance.

The question became how they cut through the relentless marketing noise and genuinely connect with people during moments they didn’t even know they needed a little encouragement.

The answer was found inside a fortune cookie.

Hulu decided to roll out a national campaign that was as clever as it was comforting: 1,850,000 fortune cookies distributed through delivery-heavy restaurants across the country. Yes, fortune cookies—the tiny, crispy carriers of wisdom, but this time with a Hulu twist.

Instead of vague predictions about meeting tall, dark strangers or winning the lottery, these cookies delivered messages of reassurance and positivity, all tied to the streaming show Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. They didn’t just land with your meal—they landed right in the sweet spot of humor, heart, and curiosity.

By timing these fortunes to arrive with dinner, Hulu turned takeout moments into little bursts of joy, reminding people that comfort food pairs even better with comforting TV. The result? A campaign so thoughtful and well-targeted it made marketing look effortless—kind of like cracking open a cookie and realizing it’s exactly what you needed to hear.

The results from the first campaign speak for themselves:

Thanks to the campaign's success, Hulu renewed with OpenFortune to promote their new show Interior Chinatown— sending out 1.5 million cookies between New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. It delivered far beyond user-generated content. 

From ASMR videos with the show's leads to red carpet interviews with the full cast, OpenFortune turned a simple after-dinner treat into a pop culture icon.

The result? A campaign so clever it redefined how brands connect with audiences—one fortune cookie at a time.