Victorious Sacrifice: Pop-Tarts' Edible Mascot Triumphs on the Campaign Trail
Kellanova brand's hilarious game-day activation took social media by storm, showcasing a dark and quirky sense of humor that propelled them to victory
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Gone are the days of college football bowl games with straightforward names like the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl. In recent years, brands have eagerly sponsored these high-profile match-ups that dominate the TV schedule during the holiday season. What used to be a venture for big players in banking, telecommunications, and insurance has now expanded to include a diverse range of sponsors, all vying to fund and bring attention to the evolving bowl game season.
The new sponsor, Pop-Tarts, stole the spotlight during the Jan. 8 championship game with a memorable game-day stunt that overshadowed any controversy or the eventual winner. Kellanova's plans for an edible mascot in November captivated an audience of consumers who wouldn't have otherwise been watching the Kansas State and NC State contest on Dec. 28.
The Pop-Tarts mascot stole the show as it emerged from a gigantic toaster on the field. Waving a sign that read "Dreams do come true" and grooving to Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff," the mascot then disappeared into the toaster and reappeared as a massive toaster pastry, which was promptly devoured by the Kansas State team.
Heidi Ray, senior director of brand marketing for Pop-Tarts, explained that for sixty years, Pop-Tarts has prioritized flavor above all else. This commitment to flavor extended even to the creation of the first-ever edible mascot for the Pop-Tarts Bowl, as mascots are seen as the ultimate symbol of team spirit. The idea behind the edible mascot aligns with the brand's "Agents of Crazy Good" platform, which was launched over the summer. This new creative direction pays homage to the "Crazy Good" ads from the 2000s but with a twist, featuring characters who actually crave being eaten instead of running away from hungry people.
Ray explained that the Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot was brought to life as part of their campaign, engaging with fans and referees at the stadium and transforming into a satisfying snack for the victors, in line with their recent advertisements.
"We wanted to make it clear that Frosted Strawberry was happy to be devoured by the winning team after being dropped into the toaster. Our mascot, like our classic toaster pastries, was created to be enjoyed by fans. As the sign Frosted Strawberry held while being lowered into the giant toaster said, this ultimate sacrifice was its dream come true."
Winning on the field of social media
Pop-Tarts' off-beat sense of humor has proven to be a huge success at its first bowl game, especially on social media. According to data from Talkwalker shared with Our Website, approximately 30% of all Pop-Tart mentions on social media in the last six months can be attributed to the game. Additionally, on game-day, the mascot was a prominent topic of conversation surrounding the bowl game.
The impact of emotions on game results makes sentiment analysis challenging, with some dark jokes about the mascot. Despite this, the overall sentiment towards the game was positive at +20%, and mentions of the mascot were even higher at +30.2%.
Pop-Tarts is showing resilience by actively engaging in social media, monitoring conversations, sharing its own content, and interacting with user-generated content across platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have fans who have wholeheartedly embraced our edible mascot and infused their own unique, creative humor into their social media posts and content. We are constantly entertained by the memes, conversations, videos, and stories that are flooding our social media feeds, and we are excited to see what other clever ideas our fans come up with," stated Ray from Pop-Tarts.
The high level of social engagement, particularly in comparison to other bowl sponsorships, could serve as a valuable example for other marketers seeking to connect with consumers in the college football arena.
Pop-Tarts stands out as the most engaged sponsor among all bowl games, with four times the engagement when their brand is mentioned compared to other sponsors, according to SponsorUnited. CEO Bob Lynch sees this as a potential opportunity for brands to leverage lesser-known bowl games and create viral marketing at a low cost.
Lynch pointed out that historically, more people have eaten a Pop-Tart than know anything about NC State or Kansas State. This brings a new audience and brand value to the table.
