Why Kellogg's are putting toys back in the cereal box

The Headline	Why it Matters	What it Means
Kellogg’s celebrate the release of Toy Story 5 by putting collectible cereal spoons in boxes in the USA.	First toys in the box in over a decade. Sparks memories of childhood breakfasts and moments of delight.	Nostalgia is strong and tangible gifts work well. Gen X and Y have most spending power in 2026-40.

Nostalgia marketing hit the headlines this year with the news that Kellogg’s were putting free gifts in cereal boxes in the USA.[1]

The move was inspired after Disney’s Pixar released Toy Story 5, which hit cinemas on June 19th. Kellogg’s partnership saw character-shaped spoons and collectible trading cards placed directly in promotional boxes from April 26th onwards.

It’s the first time in more than a decade that Kellogg’s have placed physical free gifts in cereal boxes, and a sign of the power of nostalgia marketing to bring back happy childhood memories – something that closely ties with the sentiments of the Toy Story franchise.

“There’s a real sense of childhood nostalgia tied to the moments families remember most – and breakfast is a big part of that. Bringing toys back inside the box reintroduces that sense of discovery through a simple, screen-free moment of play that parents can now share with their own kids.”

– Laura Newman, vice-president of brand marketing at WK Kellogg Co.[2]

We love this campaign – the brightly coloured spoons shaped like Woody, Buzz and Jessie are full of character and make such good sense for a cereal brand. Regular readers will know how much we believe in the power of small free gifts to delight customers.

Why Nostalgia Marketing Matters in 2026

Since the pandemic, a trend towards more tangible experiences has seen consumers seek to escape the impersonality of the virtual world.

Physical touchpoints are one of the 3 ways to surprise and delight customers in 2025, along with making them smile and adding personalisation where possible. Those three themes have remained relevant throughout 2026.

In May, research from Mastercard found nearly two thirds (62%) of Brits were planning “analogue escapism” and “digital detox” for their summer, by attending events where smartphones and other devices were banned.[3]

Crucially, Mastercard revealed that nostalgia marketing works even when consumers did not live through the original era.

“The thirst for nostalgic experiences is accelerating, as consumers go further to capture that ‘good old days’ vibe. This applies even if they didn’t experience them first time around.”

– Mastercard Experience Economy Report, 2026[4]

It’s a powerful marketing tool for brands with a history that spans the decades. Connecting nostalgia with small self-treats, as Kellogg’s have done, demonstrates that brand promotions can reinforce the effect.

3 of the Best Nostalgia Marketing Campaigns

2019: Snickers renamed Marathon

September 2019 saw Snickers chocolate bars return to their original UK name of Marathon after a gap of nearly three decades. The ‘Retro Edition’ was exclusive to Morrisons – a retailer that also leans heavily into traditional values.

At the time, a YouGov survey found that most people (53%) preferred the name Marathon, with only 24% choosing Snickers (the other 23% weren’t sure).[5]

Ironically, ‘Snickers’ predates ‘Marathon’ by 38 years outside of the UK. It was the bar’s original name in the USA in 1930, named after a favourite horse of the Mars family.[6]

The Snickers Marathon Retro Edition was so successful that the campaign was repeated five years later, with Marathon-branded bars again hitting the shelves in Morrisons stores.

2019: IRN-BRU 1901 ‘Old and Unimproved’

Just a month later in October 2019, consumers were given the option to wash down their Marathon with a glass bottle of original-recipe IRN-BRU 1901, with the tagline “Old and Unimproved”.[7]

AG Barr described the recipe as caffeine-free with “a frothy head on its gingery fizz” and “sweetened with sugar to produce a rich satisfying taste”.

This followed shortly after the introduction of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy on April 6th 2018, which led to a decrease in sugar levels in many of the country’s most popular soft drinks.[8]

IRN-BRU 1901 was initially stocked by SPAR Scotland, who sold nearly 90,000 bottles in the first year.[9] The “old and unimproved” recipe is still available as of September 2026, with 11g of sugar per 100ml.[10]

2020: Starburst renamed Opal Fruits

In 2020 (and again in 2021), Mars again renamed a classic, this time the fruity chews formerly known as Opal Fruits. The UK sweets had been aligned for 22 years with the global name, Starburst, having rebranded in 1998.

The 2021 campaign ran for just 12 weeks, with a 152g Opal Fruits share pouch available at an RRP of £1.

“Our sweet factory has been working overtime to make sure Brits who love their retro treats get their fruity fix one last time before Opal Fruits disappear from shelves forever.”

– Victoria Gell, head of fruit confections at Mars Wrigley, 2021[11]

The promotional packs were also a last chance to taste the lemon-and-lime Opal Fruit flavour, which was replaced by blackcurrant in 1998 but resurrected for the 2021 campaign.

It’s no coincidence that these nostalgia marketing campaigns landed when they did. Since 2021, Generation X, teenagers in the 1980s-90s, have led consumer spending worldwide.[12]

But times are changing, and Millennials, Generation Y, are close behind. By the early to mid-2030s, Gen Y will hold the highest spending power. That position is forecast to end when Generation Z overtake them, by the end of the 2030s.[13]

How to Tap into Nostalgia Marketing

MRM can help you to profit from the value of nostalgia within your own customer base. Whether that’s repacking physical goods into promotional packaging, handling and fulfilment of nostalgic themed direct-mail free gifts, or prize draws with prizes, we can take care of the logistics.

Backed by our powerful campaign management platform, Lodestone, MRM clients run seamless promotions with powerful reporting tools. The ability to receive consolidated data from all of the diverse data points for analysis, ensures frictionless campaign management. Insight gained from real time access to data, allows promotions to be adapted and improved on the fly. This ensures objectives are met, customers are satisfied and brand reputations are protected.

Take advantage of your proud history. Let MRM support you to make the most of that hard-earned value with a nostalgia marketing campaign that delivers present-day returns.