Kellogg’s Festive Socks.

When it comes to marketing, branded socks are getting a lot more wear. We’ve written about the increasing popularity of logoed socks and statement socks before, highlighting how they’re popping up everywhere from college campuses to corporate boardrooms.

Now, we have another great example of the fun trend. Kellogg’s, the multi-national food manufacturer based in Michigan, is currently orchestrating a loyalty program that rewards customers with free socks. Available in kids and adult sizes, the knit woven footwear comes in four colorful styles, each spotlighting animated ambassadors for different Kellogg’s brands. Such as:

Tony the Tiger, the mascot for the cereal Frosted Flakes.

Toucan Sam, the cartoon character that reps the cereal Froot Loops.

Ernest J. “Ernie” Keebler, the leader of the animated Keebler elves, which have appeared in countless advertisements over the decades to stump for Keebler snack products.

Snap, Crackle & Pop, the cartoon trio that hype Kellogg’s cereal Rice Krispies. While they don’t appear in their elven form on the socks, the “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” phrasing associated with them does.

To get the socks, consumers have to buy any three participating Kellogg’s products by Feb. 28, 2019 and then go to KFR.com/CharacterSocks to register and upload receipts to show proof of purchase. Each receipt has to be uploaded separately and within 30 days of purchase. Ultimately, customers get credit to redeem a pair of the character socks. Full details are at KFR.com/CharacterSocks.

We dig the program. Perhaps it can serve as inspiration to promotional products distributors to establish similar loyalty initiatives for their clients. At the least, it should hammer home the point that logoed socks are a neat niche product category that more and more end-users desire – a fact that could help drive sales.

We should note: Kellogg’s, in its recent marketing, has billed the footwear as “festive socks” – a tie-in with the holidays. Other than Tony’s scarf and falling snow on his socks, however, the graphics in this collection didn’t jump out as being especially holiday-themed. Still, that didn’t matter much to us. The color schemes are great, the mascots cheery and lovable. Indeed, we’re reminded of happy Saturday mornings from childhood gorging on sugary cereal and Keebler cookies before the folks woke up to curtail the gluttony. For those good times alone, we’ll be collecting a couple pairs.