Dive Brief:
- Kellogg said it will expand its collegiate marketing platform, extending its multimedia rights partnership with IMG for three years and adding 10 colleges to its marketing portfolio, according to Baking Business.
- Kellogg and IMG will team on new social media, digital, in-store, in-game and radio assets with 25 universities in football and basketball utilizing the Cheez-It and Pringles brands.
- In the fall, Kellogg will unveil a “Best Seats in the House” promotion, offering fans a chance to attend football games at their favorite schools.
Dive Insight:
After seeing success recently with an increased collegiate presence, Kellogg is amping up its social media, digital, in-store, in-game and radio assets for its Cheez-It and Pringles brands.
A recent 1,200-plus student survey by Fluent found 80% of 18 to 25-year-olds reported they use snack food to replace meals a once or twice per week. And a Datassential’s MenuTrends Keynote snacking report showed that on average, consumers eat about four to five snack foods a day.
Kellogg’s has made a commitment to appealing to younger consumers, and recently found success with initiatives such as the Kellogg’s NYC cereal cafe and the pop-up Pop-Tarts Cafe. The marketing initiatives generated buzz for beloved brands and reminded shoppers about their products.
In its most recent earnings statement, the company saw quarterly net sales decrease by 2.2% to $3.25 billion, caused mostly by a decline in the breakfast category. Turning more of its attention to the snack category is a savvy move for the company.
Food manufacturing giants like Kellogg and General Mills are finding changing consumer food preferences are leading more people to buy healthier products, many of them produced by smaller, more nimble upstarts. It makes sense for Kellogg, which also makes Rice Krispies and Famous Amos cookies, to target this generation with two of its most popular snack food items. By getting impressionable college students to start thinking about eating these foods, it will establish buying patterns and product loyalty for the future.