Reese's Puffs, a breakfast cereal brand known for its playful and popular appeal, embarked on a groundbreaking marketing campaign to redefine its image and engage with generation Z culture. By collaborating with renowned artist KAWS, Reese's Puffs introduced limited-edition cereal boxes and an augmented reality (AR) game that captured the attention of fans and generated significant buzz. The campaign's success was evident in a 17 percent year-over-year sales increase and the creation of a unique space where creativity, customer engagement, and cultural integration converged, positioning Reese's Puffs as more than just a cereal brand.
Objective:
The breakfast cereal space was not generally associated with innovation, breaking norms, and driving culture forward. However, Reese's Puffs, through brand experiences, aimed to disrupt the cereal game and behave more like a lifestyle brand than an ordinary boxed breakfast food provider.
Target Audience:
Reese's Puffs targeted diverse and multifaceted teen culture creators who were at the forefront of music, art, design, fashion, gaming, and beyond.
Creative Strategy:
Reese's Puffs partnered with renowned Brooklyn artist KAWS to release two special edition cereal boxes and an augmented reality (AR) game. This collaboration brought the art world directly to generation Z, creating a buzz reminiscent of sneaker drop culture.
Context:
After successful collaborations with music partners like Travis Scott and Lil Yachty, Reese's Puffs sought a new passion point to maintain credibility and engage its fans. Collaborating with KAWS, a globally popular artist known for his COMPANION toy figures, allowed Reese's Puffs to tap into generation Z hype culture and offer an exclusive experience. This partnership resulted in a 17 percent year-over-year sales increase.
Overall Campaign Execution:
Reese's Puffs launched a national retail design and an exclusive premium box available online. To further engage fans, an AR game called KAWSPuffs was introduced, challenging players to pop falling puffs to prevent their KAWS toy from sinking into a cup of milk. Limited edition KAWSPuffs boxes were awarded to weekly high scorers.
Mobile Execution:
To access the AR game, users were directed to download the KAWSPUFFS app and compete for limited edition prizes. Top players with the highest scores each week received one of 150 exclusive blue KAWSPuffs boxes, while the top two scores on Saturday mornings won one of 30 boxes signed by KAWS.
Reese's Puffs, a brand not typically associated with innovation, successfully collaborated with creative talents to produce limited-edition collections that resonated with consumers. These partnerships, including Lil Yachty's Lil Yachts and Tinashe's RP-FX, resulted in a 17 percent year-over-year sales increase.
Reese's Puffs broke creative barriers and created a tangible, unscripted, and playful space for customer engagement, aligning with the brand's identity within the cereal market. The exclusive collector boxes priced at $49.99 sold out online within minutes, while over 4 million limited-edition boxes were sold at retail. With no paid media, the campaign earned over 465 million impressions.
By differentiating itself from competitors and embracing collaborations, Reese's Puffs attracted global partners who recognized the brand's potential for exciting ventures.
