To celebrate the launch of its Fibre 1 Cheesecake Bars in Canada, General Mills hosted a literal 'cake walk' on the streets of Toronto. The interactive campaign helped the brand capture the attention of millennials, who are more likely to respond to creative activations than traditional advertising campaigns.
The key component of General Mills' new campaign was a cake walk that involved sending six costumed mascots dressed in the shape of Fibre 1 Cheesecake Bars out on to the streets of Toronto. These mascots then handed out free samples of the snack bars to those they passed. Jason Doolan of General Mills explains that the cake walk was a memorable way to connect with millennials because "they value experiences more than any other cohort I’ve ever been involved with."
In addition to the cake walk, General Mills also launched other millennial-targeted initiatives such as celebrating National Cheesecake Day and creating online videos.
Mobile Cake Campaigns
The Launch of Fibre 1 Cheesecake Bars Involved a Literal 'Cake Walk'
Trend Themes
1. Interactive Experiential Marketing - General Mills' cake walk campaign in Toronto demonstrates the effectiveness of interactive experiential marketing in capturing millennials' attention.
2. Creative Activations - Millennials are more likely to respond to creative activations like General Mills' cake walk campaign as opposed to traditional advertising methods.
3. Brand Awareness Through Promotional Events - Promotional events, such as General Mills' cake walk campaign, can be an effective way to generate brand awareness among a target demographic like millennials.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - General Mills' cake walk campaign for the launch of Fibre 1 Cheesecake Bars demonstrates the potential for unique and memorable promotions within the food and beverage industry.
2. Marketing and Advertising - Creative and experiential marketing methods, like General Mills' cake walk campaign, offer opportunities for marketing and advertising professionals to capture millennials' attention.
3. Social Media and Digital Marketing - Supplementing promotional events with online video campaigns, like General Mills did with their millennial-targeted initiatives, can effectively reach and engage a digitally-savvy target audience.