Kellogg takes Frosted Flakes from breakfast to game time

The new all-digital campaign aligns Tony the Tiger with millennial sports fans in an effort to regain ground with the 18 to 34 demo.

Kellogg’s new campaign for Frosted Flakes has moved its focus away from kids and has instead put millennial males in the spotlight.

At the centre of the campaign, which is executed entirely online, is a digital short featuring two friends watching sports with mascot Tony the Tiger on the couch, eating Frosted Flakes and refusing to let their other friend in the living room for fear of jinxing the game they’re watching.

The video went live on YouTube Sept. 19 and is airing as a pre-roll video on properties such as TSN, Sportsnet and the Sportsnet mobile app throughout the remainder of 2016. It is also being promoted through Twitter Amplify. Kellogg worked with Starcom on the media buy and VML on creative.

Chris Bell, VP of marketing for Kellogg, told MiC the company is working to win  back some ground with the young adult crowd.

“We do find that millennials have walked away from the cereal category,” Bell told MiC. “This is a chance to re-position us in their minds.”

A rep from Kellogg told MiC Frosted Flakes’ overall market share in Canada was 3.2%, although they would not provide its market share among millennials. However, they did say that the cereal had lost popularity among millennials.

Kellogg isn’t unique in its struggles. A study by Euromonitor found that cereal has fallen in popularity across the board between 2013 and 2014, while a widely publicized survey by Mintel for 2015 cereal consumption found that millennials around the world are consuming less cereal than ever before.

Rather than focus on health benefits or nutrition, which Bell hypothesized is part of the reason millennials have walked away from cereal for breakfast, the campaign also positions Frosted Flakes as a snack.

“Just because [millennials] may be eating it less for breakfast doesn’t mean they aren’t eating cereal,” Bell said. “This is a chance to promote it as a game-time food.”

It’s the first 100% digital campaign for Frosted Flakes, albeit not for Kellogg.

Bell said the brand has previously attempted to reach male demographics, but millennials are just now taking the spotlight. In early 2016, the brand launched a family-targeted ball hockey contest, which Bell said was designed to reach children and fathers. Bell said the company then decided to expand on that goal.

“This year we’re going a bit younger, and by targeting the creative the way we have, we’re hoping we can go even younger,” he said.