Regardless of who plays in it, the first annual Pop-Tarts College Bowl game is going to make a marketing impact.
The game, formerly known as the Cheez-It Bowl until the sponsorship changed, will see a Pop-Tart-shaped mascot roaming the stadium during the game, interacting with fans, and, undoubtedly, mugging for the camera whenever it can. At the end of the game, though, the mascot will disappear and the winning player will, well, eat it.
“For 60 years, Pop-Tarts has sacrificed everything in the name of Crazy Good flavor, so why wouldn’t that include our beloved Football Mascot too?” said Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing for Pop-Tarts. “Since we announced our title sponsorship of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, fans have been speculating on the larger-than-life game day experiences we will be tackling, and this is the first of many traditions that fans can expect Pop-Tarts to upend on game day.”
Obviously, the athletes aren’t going to resort to cannibalism (we hope!). But the game will allow the brand to promote its product in a fashion similar to its recent ad campaign. And you can never rule out a new flavor or product being introduced with such a high-dollar marketing event.
There certainly will be an audience. Last year’s Cheez-It Bowl attracted 5.4 million viewers as Florida State bested Oklahoma. It was the second-most-viewed college postseason game that did not air on New Year’s Day.
The participants in this year’s bowl game will be unveiled Sunday by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. The inaugural Pop-Tarts Bowl will be held on Dec. 28 at 5:30 p.m. ET from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, featuring teams from the ACC and Big 12.
ESPN will air the game.