Following the Perseids meteor shower, on August 12, a massive unknown object appeared in Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park. Despite appearances, it wasn’t celestial detritus. Actually, Kellogg’s was behind the activation, announcing the launch of the brand’s new cereal.
The 90 KG object was a massive granola cluster that had a similar rocky appearance as a meteorite. The object contained between 50 and 100 boxes of the new Two Scoops Raisin Bran Crunch cereal, which the brand distributed to park visitors days later.
W.K. Kellog Co. co-head of marketing Jeff Chatterton tells Media in Canada that the activation included two phases. The first consisted of the object landing in the park without further explanation, which generated buzz among Toronto residents and rumors about what it might be. And in the second phase, on August 15, the object was opened to reveal the new cereal.
According to Chatterton, Kellogg’s wanted to take advantage of the summer (when people are out of the house most of the time) to market the new product and its new texture, which is crunchier than the other brand’s cereals. The Perseids meteor shower also coincided with the launch, thus the team thought it was a good idea to present the cereal as a meteorite that had fallen after an explosion.
Chatterton adds that the cereal doesn’t change the brand’s positioning, but aims to appeal to a broader audience looking for crunchier options. Its target audience is Canadians aged 35 to 64. This audience cares about wellness and wants to make intentional choices, but also doesn’t want to give up taste or texture, says Chatterton.
The new cereal is now available at major retailers in the country.
The product launch and activation is being promoted through influencers, media relations and OLV. Starcom handled media buying, while MSL Canada handled PR and Leo Burnett was behind the strategy and creative.