General Mills : Characters come to life at cereal bar

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Jul 17, 2019 • By Hanna Johnson

Six of our well-loved cereal characters are official residents at Minnesota's first cereal bar, Treats Cereal Bar & Boba.

When customers enter the shop in St. Paul, they're greeted by the iconic faces of Trix Rabbit, Lucky the Leprechaun, Sonnythe Cuckoo Bird, BuzzBee, Chip the Wolf and the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crazy Squares,on a spectacular mural.

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It was inspired by Treats' unique cereal-infused desserts, a fun twist on the classic breakfast dish that blends cereal with ice cream, producing a creamy and crunchy treat bursting with the nostalgic flavors of childhood.

Six of our well-loved cereal characters are official residents at Minnesota's first cereal and Boba bar, Treats.

So, how did it happen?

When we first heard that Treats was planned and that they would be using our cereals on their menu, our team knew they had to reach outto the owners, Trisha Seng and Minh Dinh, who also happen to be siblings.

'We are always looking for opportunities to partner when it makes sense and our team knew that it would be a win for everyone if General Mills could have a bigger presence at a Minnesota ice cream shop that was incorporating our cereals,' says Bailey Alto, planner, Brand Experience,General Mills.

Alto connected with Seng and Dinh, who responded with a big idea: a mural of cereal characters.

'We wanted to create something that captured the essence of both General Mills and Treats,' says Seng.

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We then worked with Treats and Street Factory Media to source an artist for the project.

'Because it's a local shopand because General Mills calls Minnesota home, we wanted to find a local artist to participate in this,' adds Sarah McCullough, planner, Brand Experience,General Mills.

The search led them to Nick, an artist who also goes by nmph, with Burlesque Public Works. His design experience with cartoon characters made him a perfect candidate for the job.

Due to last-minute construction at the shop before it opened in June, the timeline was tight, but the artist delivered an impressive final product.

'It was great to partner with people who have so much passion for what they're creating, and who were so enthusiastic with the result,' says Alto. 'Nick had a very tight timeline and ultimately delivered an amazing piece of art.'

The mural has quickly captured the hearts of Treats' customers, providing a fun photo opportunity and a walk down memory lane.

'The first thing a customer does when they enter Treats is turn to the mural,' Seng says. 'Some even scream and say 'Wow, you painted my childhood on this wall!' Experiencing our ice cream and the mural wall is the complete package for our customers.'

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The General Mills team was also proud of how the mural turned out.

'Our teams are thrilled with it,' saysMcCullough. 'We really love how people come in and automatically use the wall to take photos with their ice cream. We're seeing a lot of good interaction with the piece.'

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Whether you're in Minnesota or just find yourself passing through, be sure to stop by Treats for some cereal sweets and a photo with your favorite character!

Post your photos on social and tag us with @generalmills.

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Hanna Johnson is a corporate communications associate at General Mills, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She manages 'A Taste of General Mills,' and helps represent the company on various social media sites, and contributes to the company intranet and website. She began her career at General Mills in 2019. More posts by this author