It is not a fluke if you’ve caught a Lucky Charms commercial recently that had nothing to do with the usual kid-friendly motifs. General Mills is aiming one campaign at adults, having discovered that 45% of the cereal’s consumers are grown-ups, says Ad Age.
This isn’t just a strategic move to capitalize on the nostalgic pull of the puffed cereal with multi-colored marshmallows. It parallels a general shift by cereal brands conventionally associated with only kids. Their attempt to capture an older set is one way they are dealing with tighter industry standards in marketing toward children. Ad Age names other examples, like Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes “running ads with Tony the Tiger that target dads.”
The ad is currently airing regionally in Buffalo, NY; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; and Syracuse, NY, and it will likely roll out to the rest of the country in 6–12 months. Until then, there’s always the Facebook page specially designed to speak to adults.
[via Ad Age]