The Oreo Turns 100

The Oreo cookie turns 100 Tuesday and is America's best-selling cooking of the 21st century.

The popular creme filled sandwich cookie is celebrating its 100th birthday with a campaign that carries the theme, "celebrate the kid inside." Since Oreo cookies first rolled off the production line in 1912 at a factory in lower Manhattan, the Oreo brand has promoted the spirit of childhood and family togetherness in advertising. Eric Greenleaf, Marketing Professor at NYU, says the cookie's crunchiness and softness hasn't been the only reason for its lasting popularity.

"There are messages, such as have this cookie and indulge yourself, or this cookie is healthy for you.  But, none of those are as appealing to a larger group as this is gonna make your kids happy, it's gonna make you happy, it's gonna make you stronger as a family," Greenleaf said.

Oreos are now available in more than 100 countries.