Dive Brief:
- General Mills is preparing for the release of its retooled Trix cereal brand by hosting a casting call contest via photos shared on social media to find a real rabbit (or other pet with bunny ears) to feature on a new limited-run Trix box in the winner's hometown.
- The reformulated recipe for Trix removes artificial flavors and colors, and it will be available in stores in January 2016. All of General Mills' cereals will no longer contain artificial flavors and colors by end of 2017.
- The promotion began Oct. 20, and consumers can submit their rabbit photos until Nov. 8 under the hashtag #RealTrixRabbit.
Dive Insight:
More companies are seeing the benefits of social media for reaching and engaging with consumers. This includes traditional campaigns on Facebook and Twitter, but it also means newer social networks like Snapchat and Periscope, both of which companies like Coca-Cola, Nestle (Drumstick), and Frito-Lay (Doritos) have used in the past. Many food and beverage companies have embraced online videos and web series they promote with social media as well, including General Mills for its French Toast Crunch campaign.
General Mills recently signed on MindShare to handle its global media. The company spent $866 million in measured media in the U.S. last year, and $1.03 billion globally in 2013.