Social media in a Pop-Tarts frenzy
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Sponsoring a college football bowl game can be worthwhile if you do your research and hit upon attention-getters like cheeky mascots. Just ask Kellanova — the brand behind Pop-Tarts and Cheez-It.
Why it matters: When in lock-step, communication and marketing teams can increase brand awareness and generate palpable buzz from something as simple as a sponsorship deal.
What they're saying: "We leaned heavily on our partners at Weber Shandwick [for] their expertise in both earning attention and leaning into real-time culture to amplify our activation in-stadium, on television, in social media conversations and beyond to make our brands' games not just another sporting event, but a part of the current cultural zeitgeist," Kellanova chief marketing officer Julie Bowerman told Axios.
By the numbers: Social media chatter and earned media placements generated enormous interest for both Pop-Tarts and Cheez-It.
- According to Newswhip data shared with Axios, Pop-Tarts saw an 11,734% increase in interactions across X and a 10,746% increase across Instagram following the bowl game shenanigans.
- Interactions with Cheez-Its were up 24,648% across X and 18,700% across Facebook compared to the week prior.
- "To date, Pop-Tarts and Cheez-It have secured thousands of earned media placements and social mentions, amassing unprecedented, Super Bowl-levels of reach across the brands," added Bowerman.
What to watch: Charismatic mascots aside, brands are finding more creative ways to get in front of eyeballs by embracing concepts like ad-supported water fountains or digital billboards in elevators, gas pumps and gyms, writes Axios Media Deals author Kerry Flynn.
Go deeper ... Investors eye out-of-home advertising.
