General Mills cereal mascots sport 'got milk?' mustaches in new campaign

Dive Brief:

General Mills Big G cereal has partnered with "got milk?" according to a press release. As part of the partnership, the food company will release special boxes of Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Honey Nut Cheerios featuring mascots with the famous "got milk?" mustache.
Beginning on National Milk Day (Jan. 11), the Big G's Cereal Collective Milk Truck will be delivering milk in the Los Angeles area as part of a "reimagined take on the vintage milk man experience." Consumers can also receive digital rebates by buying two gallons of dairy milk and two boxes of General Mills cereal, with details at BigGCerealAndMilkSavings.com.
The campaign also includes the #CerealMilkStacheChallenge on Instagram and TikTok, as social media personalities don the milk mustache. The push continues General Mills' efforts to tap into nostalgia for classic cereal brands during the pandemic.

Dive Insight:

General Mills Big G cereal brands' partnership with the Milk Processor Education Program's iconic "got milk?" campaign taps into nostalgia for the quintessential milk man at a time when consumers are still seeking familiar comforts as the pandemic drags on. The omnichannel campaign across merchandising, coupons, social media and a pop-up experience could drive interest in the classic pairing.

The milk truck pop-up, which will deliver milk across Los Angeles, demonstrates how experiential activations can be reworked to factor in pandemic-related disruptions. However, these efforts must address the on-the-ground reality with regards to the coronavirus: stay-at-home orders were renewed indefinitely last month for much of California as COVID-19 cases overwhelm hospitals.

The status of pandemic-related shutdowns make the #CerealMilkStacheChallenge on Instagram and TikTok an even more important way for General Mills to reach homebound folks. While details are scarce, utilizing social media stars helps modernize the "got milk?" campaign, which is known for its many celebrity partnerships over the years.

The partnership continues General Mills' efforts to elevate the visibility of its long-running cereal brands. In September, the company rebooted classic cereals with a live event that targeted consumers' memories of Saturday morning cartoons, and teamed with Champion Athleticwear to create a capsule collection of cereal-inspired clothing. These nostalgia-fueled efforts could help the company engage with consumers looking for familiar comforts as the coronavirus pandemic persists.