Toast of the Town

In 2023, Pop-Tarts pulled off the most unhinged moment in college football history. They launched the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, and at the end of the championship game, a giant edible Pop-Tarts mascot (cheerfully holding a sign that said "Dreams really do come true") was lowered into a comically large toaster. It popped back out as actual edible Pop-Tarts pieces on a tray, and the winning team ate the mascot on the field.

It went viral instantly. Pop-Tarts sold 21 million more toaster pastries in the next 8 weeks. The mascot became a Halloween costume, a meme, and a marketing-class case study. They've done it three years running.

Here's your task: You're the marketing director for a brand sponsoring a brand-new bowl game or sports event. Design the next "edible mascot" stunt that will go viral and steal the spotlight.

Your Submission Must Include:

Your Brand & Event: Pick a real or fictional snack/cereal/candy brand and the event you're sponsoring (e.g., "The Goldfish Open," "The Cheez-It Cup," "The Sour Patch Showdown").

Your Mascot's Fate: Describe the mascot and exactly what happens to it when the game ends. Be creative! Does it get blended into smoothies? Squished by a giant cleat? Stuck in a giant lunchbox? Sketch the moment or describe it vividly.

The Viral Moment: Write the one-sentence news headline that explodes the next morning AND the one-line TikTok caption that launches the moment.

Your Pitch: In 2-3 sentences, convince the brand's CEO why this stunt will go viral instead of falling flat.