Kellogg Canada has launched its first masterbrand campaign in more than 10 years, showing that its portfolio of cereals has what Canadians are looking for at the start of their day – especially as they begin to adopt new morning routines.

Created by Leo Burnett, the “We’re For Breakfast” platform zeroes in on the nutritional impacts different cereals within its portfolio share. While the benefits themselves might be different – one spot focuses on high protein and whole grain cereals, with another on ones that are high in fibre or low in sugar – the unifying message is that how someone starts the day can set them up for success for the rest of it.

[iframe_youtube video = “0vh3FtXbXw8”]

Christine Jakovcic, VP of marketing and nutrition at Kellogg Canada, says consumer insights revealed six things Canadians look for most in their ideal breakfast: flavourful, filling, high protein, high fibre, whole grains and low sugar.

“Those were all things we already offered in our cereals, but Canadians didn’t know that. They were looking at other categories, thinking those would deliver things we could,” she says. “And the things people are looking for are category-wide, so it felt like the right time to lean in with all of our brands.”

In addition to further masterbrand ads, the message will also continue across ads for the individual cereals, which will zero in more on their particular benefit, in addition to incorporating creative that speaks more directly to its specific brand positioning and target consumer.

Jakovcic says the message behind the platform is meant to get Canadians to “reconsider breakfast” and drive the entirety of the category to help it stabilize in terms of overall base velocities.

For those who have been watching the category over the last year and a half, it might not seem like cereal is something that needs motivating. Consumption has gone up during the pandemic, something Jakovcic says Kellogg has seen as well, as consumers stay at home and have more opportunity to sit down with a bowl.

But Kellogg and Leo Burnett began developing the new platform pre-pandemic, when the breakfast category was in the midst of years of flat growth and 41.7% of Canadians said they weren’t eating breakfast every day (according to a 2019 study by Prodege). As pandemic restrictions ease, more people return to the office and kids resume in-person classes, the goal is to ensure consumers’ appreciation of breakfast sticks around as they begin to come back to modified versions of their previous routines.

“We haven’t really changed much about the platform and stuck to our strategy during this time,” Jakovcic says. “We’ve invested more behind this idea, but the message and idea hasn’t changed. Canadians have had more of an opportunity to try cereal again during the pandemic. There’s always been really good penetration, upwards of 90%, but it’s just about who is eating it in the home and how often. Hopefully, for people who have been trying it again, they’ll continue to stick with it.”

[iframe_youtube video = “GCcGl8-BSa0”]

The full campaign launched last week with TV and online video, though the rollout began with on-pack and in-store promo that Jakovich says has helped increase base velocity, with the brands it’s supporting increasing in all stores. More content will rollout across channels over the next year, with media handled by Starcom.