Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Says Guten Morgen With Hans Strudel and #StrudelArt
Shooting for morning motivation and fun, the fictional mascot expands the brand’s target to millennials and includes a new website and social profiles.
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel has a new mascot, Hans Strudel, who hails from a fictional place where people are happy and eat breakfast all day. According to the brand, Strudel’s goal is to “help start mornings off right by showing up at houses that need a little extra push to wake up when the alarm clock goes off.”
In addition to the brand’s typical mom demographic, the young Strudel and his hometown of Breakfurg also target Millennials. The campaign debuted on August 5.
To introduce Strudel to America, the brand is hosting a Breakfurg Strudel Workshop with a custom-built Strudel Dudeler in New York’s Union Square on August 27 and South Street Seaport on August 28.
Toaster Strudel pastries come with packets of icing users can add after they’ve been warmed in the toaster.
So, powered by tweets tagged with #StrudelArt, the so-called Strudel Dudeler will “dazzle all by translating consumers’ positive morning tweets into artwork drawn in icing onto actual Toaster Strudel pastries and given to people at the event,” the brand says.
In addition, #StrudelArt will be photographed and uploaded to a photo gallery on the new Toaster Strudel Facebook page. As of August 8, the brand has 15,000 fans. It also launched a Twitter profile, @ToasterStrudel, in conjunction with the campaign. As of August 8, @ToasterStrudel had about 20 followers.
The brand says fans who are not in New York can participate by sending in positive morning messages that may be doodled on pastries.
What’s more, the brand will launch a microsite focusing on Strudel’s home country of Breakfurg on August 27. Pillsbury says consumers will be able to take virtual tours of “the cheerful place” and send postcards.
“This campaign will show a new, fun and magical side of Toaster Strudel with the creation of Hans Strudel and his homeland of Breakfurg,” says John Williams, marketing manager for Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, in a prepared statement. “We think Hans and his persona will appeal to parents and teens in the household, giving them a little extra motivation in the morning.”
Citing a study by market research firm Mintel, the brand says 8 to 12 percent of school-aged kids skip breakfast – a figure that grows as high as 20 to 30 percent by the time children become adolescents.
“Breakfast is an important part of the day and with teens in the household, this time often feels hectic and rushed. Our goal is to help get people’s mornings moving and started off right with a warm Toaster Strudel pastry,” says Williams.
Strudel will also be featured in three TV commercials.
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel is a General Mills brand.
A General Mills rep did not respond to a request for comment.
