Kellogg's
Kellogg's is an American food manufacturing company. Its various products have hosted several promotions and giveaways involving the Super Mario franchise.
1993 giveaway[edit]
Starting in 1993, Kellogg's Canada was giving away six thousand copies of several Nintendo games. Customers would have to collect eight game letters (which spelled out "Nintendo" when completed) from Kellogg's cereal boxes and correctly answer a math equation in order to win. The giveaway's deadline was November 30, 1994.
Information about the giveaway on the packaging listed the games being offered, such as Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Yoshi, Yoshi's Cookie, and Yoshi's Safari. Another game listed on the packaging was Mario & Wario with the claim that it was going to be released in 1994, but Mario & Wario was never released outside of Japan.[1]
1995 giveaways[edit]
Between February and March of 1995, Kellogg's and several groceries stores (including Food 4 Less, Harris Teeter, and Piggly Wiggly) across the United States were hosting giveaways. The prizes mostly consisted of Super Nintendo Entertainment System consoles, Game Boys, and several Donkey Kong games. Each location offered a different amount of products and had separate submission deadlines. Customers could submit as many entrees as they wanted, as long as each submission was individually mailed and not mechanically reproduced.[2][3][4][5]
Another giveaway in 1995 was hosted by Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran, Cocoa Krispies, Rice Krispies Treats, and Cinnamon Mini-Buns. Prizes included 250 Zenith televisions; 750 Super Nintendo Entertainment System consoles with Donkey Kong Country; 4,000 Game Boys with Donkey Kong '94; and 5,000 Donkey Kong Country-themed baseball caps. Customers could also purchase a shirt for $4.99 with two proofs of purchase from Frosted Mini-Wheats.[6] Nintendo also included a sixteen second long message about the giveaway on their video game hotline, which received 100,000 weekly phone calls at the time.[7]
1996 giveaway[edit]
Starting in 1996, Kellogg's was offering customers various Nintendo 64 related prizes through specially marked cereal boxes. The offer ended on November 30, 1997. Kellogg's also distributed lenticular Super Mario 64 trading cards at the time.[8][9]
| Prize | Chance of winning | Number of items available |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo 64 block party | 1:23,247,777 | 4 |
| Nintendo 64 with a copy of Super Mario 64 | 1:42,972 | 2,164 |
| Nintendo Power Super Power Club membership | 1:14,530 | 6,400 |
| Nintendo 64 hologram watch | 1:3,875 | 24,000 |
| Nintendo 64 phone card | 1:64 | 1,463,907 |
Trading cards[edit]
1999 figurines[edit]
In France, Kellogg's included one figurine of Mario in specially marked boxes of Chocos and Honey Smacks (known in France as Smacks). Chocos had four figurines that could hang from an object while Honey Smacks had four figurines with suction cups.[10][11]
Chocos figurines[edit]
Honey Smacks figurines[edit]
Apple Jacks[edit]
In 1993, Apple Jacks featured strategy maps for Super Mario World on the back of their cereal boxes. There were six maps in total.[12][13]
Cinnamon Mini Buns[edit]
In 1993, Cinnamon Mini Buns had a mail-in offer of two free Nintendo posters to customers with two proofs of purchase. One poster featured various Super Mario characters and Power-Ups.[14][15]
Cocoa Krispies[edit]
North America[edit]
In 1993 or 1994, Cocoa Krispies printed a board game based on Super Mario Kart on the back of their cereal boxes, calling it the "Choco Island Challenge". Players could either play as Donkey Kong Jr. or Coco the Monkey and would flip a coin to determine movement instead of dice. Most of the board spaces had references to Super Mario Kart, such as Lakitu at the finish line.[16]
A second promotion took place in 1995, when Cocoa Krispies distributed thirty Nintendo and Coco the Monkey related stickers per box with a cardboard dispenser resembling a Game Boy.[17]
France[edit]
Kellogg's has hosted two France exclusive promotions involving Cocoa Krispies (known in France as Choco Pops) and the Donkey Kong Country series.
In 1997, Cocoa Krispies included figurines of Cranky Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Donkey Kong, Kiddy Kong, and King K. Rool in their cereal boxes.[18]
Another promotion included Donkey Kong Country themed pogs being distributed in their cereal boxes. The pogs were numbered and every third pog featured Coco the Monkey.[19]
Figurines[edit]
Pogs featuring Donkey Kong Country characters[edit]
Donkey Kong (#1)
Diddy Kong (#2)
Dixie Kong (#4)
Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong (#5)
Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong (#7)
Kritter (#10)
Krusha (#11)
Donkey Kong and Rambi (#13)
Diddy Kong and Expresso (#14)
Corn Flakes[edit]
In 1992, Corn Flakes printed board games on the back of cereal boxes. They were centered around several Nintendo games, including Super Mario World, Yoshi, and Super Mario Bros. 3. Players would glide three coins across the board and whoever had the highest score won.[20]
Another Nintendo promotion from 1992 was when Corn Flakes had a mail-in offer of a Game Boy themed watch. It costed $1.80 and customers required proof of purchase. Mario is featured in a televised commercial for the watch, where he examines one and jumps into it, forming his face on the strap.[21]
Corn Pops[edit]
In 1993, specially marked Corn Pops boxes contained label stickers with different Super Mario characters on them.[22] A televised commercial featured clay animations of Larry Koopa, Ludwig von Koopa, and Yoshi showing off their own label stickers.[23]
Froot Loops[edit]
In 1994, Froot Loops ran a promotion based on Mario Paint. Customers could order a free Squeezable Paint Brush produced by Mattel through the mail, which came in three different colors and featured either Mario or Toucan Sam.[24]
Frosted Flakes[edit]
In 1993, specially marked Frosted Flakes boxes (known overseas as "Frosties") in the United Kingdom contained one out of 24 trading cards and one out of twelve stickers, the latter having a scratch card on the back. Customers with a winning card could receive a prize. Kellogg's was giving away 1,000 Game Boys; 10,000 shirts; 15,000 sets of five pins; and 20,000 posters.[25][26][27]
A similar promotion was done in Canada around the same time, albeit with significantly less cards and no stickers.[28]
Trading cards featuring Mario (Canada)[edit]
Trading cards and stickers featuring Mario (United Kingdom)[edit]
Card 1
Card 2
Card 3
Card 4
Card 11
Card 12
Card 15
Card 16
Card 21
Card 22
Sticker
Sticker
Sticker
Sticker
Miscellaneous merchandise[edit]
Poster
Poster
Set of five pins
Shirt
Frosted Mini-Wheats[edit]
Starting in February 1993,[29] customers could collect Power Points from the back of Frosted Mini-Wheats boxes and get a discount of up to fifteen dollars for certain Nintendo games, including Yoshi and Dr. Mario for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The offer expired on April 30, 1994.
Nelsonic Game Watch[edit]
- Main article: Donkey Kong (Nelsonic Game Watch)
Kellogg's was responsible for distributing the Donkey Kong Nelsonic Game Watch. Starting in 1995, customers could receive a watch by sending in an order form, $4.99, and a proof of purchase for any Kellogg's cereal. The offer ended on April 30, 1996.[30]
Super Mario fruit snacks[edit]
In 2010, Kellogg's began to produce Super Mario fruit snacks. The fruit snacks come in the shapes of Mario, Luigi, a Super Star, Yoshi, Toad, and a Koopa Troopa shell. The fruit snacks have been re-released with different boxart, including a Mario Kart 8 themed box in 2014.
Super Mario Cereal[edit]
- Main article: Super Mario Cereal
Super Mario Cereal was first released by Kellogg's on December 11, 2017.[31] It was created to promote Super Mario Odyssey and boxes initially featured an NFC tag compatable with the game.[32]
References[edit]
- ^ G, Evan (Last updated September 22, 2013). Mario & Wario. SNES Central. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Charlotte Observer (February 15, 1995). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Kansas City Star (February 8, 1995). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Kansas City Star (February 15, 1995). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Kellogg's giveaway commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Commercial Collections (May 31, 2021). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Kellogg’s Original Super Nintendo Cereal Artwork. Nintendo Player. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Corcoran, Judy (February 25, 1995). Kellogg and Nintendo join for video game promotion. Supermarket News. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Advertisement from the Miami Herald (October 20, 1996). Retrieved on July 30, 2022.
- ^ Bounty13 (Uploaded on July 15, 2022) Super Mario 64 3D cards. Trading Card Database. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ Super Mario - Nintendo - Figurines accroche verre kellogg's. Bibelotmania. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ Super Mario - Nintendo - Figurines kellogg's - Ventouse. Bibelotmania. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ Advertisement from The Montana Standard (February 28, 1993). Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ Apple Jacks commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Jon E Commercials For Kids (November 19, 2021). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the San Francisco Examiner (February 07, 1993). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Cinnamon Mini Buns commercial reuploaded to Dailymotion by Steven Rosero. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
- ^ Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies with Nintendo Super Mario Kart Game. Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved August 4, 2022
- ^ Advertisement from The Modesto Bee (January 8, 1995). Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ Ryan (August 14, 2017). Cereal Box Freebies! French Donkey Kong figures from Kellogg’s Choco Pops, 1997!. The Forgotten Starship. Retrieved on January 7, 2023.
- ^ Administrator and Vincent. Kelloggs > Nintendo Donkey Kong. Milkcapmania. Retrieved on January 7, 2023.
- ^ Kellogg's Corn Flakes with Nintendo Board Games. Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved July 30, 2022
- ^ Corn Flakes commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Radio Free Galaxy (November 18, 2021). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Cincinnati Enquirer (February 14, 1993). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Corn Pops commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Commercial Collections (August 10, 2018). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Froot Loops commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Hakki Bulut (January 3, 2019). Retrieved September 10, 2022.
- ^ Frosties commercial reuploaded to YouTube by Cereal & Other Ads (March 27, 2017). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Nintendo Collector Cards archived on Archive.org (July 14, 2021). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Heartland Evening News (July 15, 1993). Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ Tassacafix (Uploaded on January 23, 2021).Kellogg's Tony's Tips trading cards. Trading Card Database. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ Advertisement from the Macon Telegraph (February 28, 1993). Retrieved on January 6, 2023.
- ^ Advertisement from The Honolulu Advertiser (August 20, 1995). Retrieved on August 4, 2022.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 29, 2017). Nintendo’s new Super Mario breakfast cereal is also an amiibo. Polygon. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ McFerran, Damien (March 18, 2018). You Can Now Buy Super Mario Cereal Without The Amiibo Functionality. Nintendo Life. Retrieved July 26, 2022
