Pebbles cereal launches social media video series to support kids, creators

Brief:

Pebbles cereal, which is marketed by Post Consumer Brands, launched an educational video series for kids on its website and social media channels to help parents and content creators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The "Daily Yabba Dabba Doo" series will appear on Facebook, Instagram and the brand's website at 6 a.m. ET for the next 30 days, per an announcement.
The videos feature creators who have been affected by the health crisis, including artists, dancers, chefs, crafters and magicians. Pebbles is paying each creator $1,500, or about the monthly U.S. median housing cost, for their contributions to the series.
Each video shows an activity that kids can do with minimal adult supervision, using items readily available in most homes. Creators start the show with a brief personal introduction that explains their talent before teaching kids how to do something new, per the announcement.

Insight:

Pebbles cereal's video series is a novel way to support kids, parents and creative professionals who are coping with the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to their daily routines. The health crisis has led schools to suspend or cancel in-person classes, while millions of parents have either lost their jobs or are working from home. Pebbles aims to help those families faced with the stresses of distance learning, home schooling or keeping kids entertained while stuck indoors. As consumers look for brands that provide comfort or help during the pandemic, Pebbles is showing its understanding of their needs. Such gestures can help to develop positive associations with a brand that last after the crisis subsides.

Post Consumer Brands also is demonstrating its role as a good corporate citizen by helping creative professionals who may be suffering their own financial hardships as kids' extracurricular activities, parties and performances get canceled while people stay at home. During the pandemic, consumers want to hear from brands about how they are helping out, such as donating money or products to consumers, or how they are offering paid time off for employees, according to a survey by the 4A's.

The Pebbles video series also shows the brand's willingness to maintain or even lift its public profile as many advertisers cancel, delay or revamp their marketing campaigns. Cereal is a food staple that's likely to be more immune to the effects of cutbacks in consumer spending as people cut back in other ways, such as holding off on buying big-ticket items like a car or major appliances. CPG brands like Pebbles have increased their presence on national TV since last year. The number of 30-second commercials for household products appearing on the top 25 national TV networks jumped more than 43% during the week of March 23 from a year earlier, and by 84% from the prior week, per market research firm Kantar.

The video series is another sign of how brands have revamped their marketing efforts to include support for social causes that resonate with consumers who worry about their health and personal finances. Cottonelle, Honda, Michelob Ultra and Snapchat are among the companies that have touted their efforts to provide relief to people during the pandemic.