Fortunate Charms faucets into audio advertising development by dropping magical melodies
Marshmallow-infused grain brand Lucky Charms has released a handful of zippy songs by Lucky the Leprechaun. The aim of the effort is to awaken a new awareness of an old favorite.
The hottest new artist of 2021 may not be Olivia Rodrigo after all. General Mills-owned grain brand Lucky Charms announced today that its chipper mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun, has released his debut album Magically Delicious, available exclusively through Spotify.
“Lucky Charms has inspired families to create magical moments together for decades, and now we’re bringing families closer together through the power of music,” said Mindy Murray, senior marketing manager at General Mills, to The Drum. “We’re not just dropping a catchy tune, we’re using eight songs – each from a different genre – as a fun way to inspire families to dance and sing along while teaching them the unique power of Lucky’s magic spells.”
Aimed at parents (the brand’s main buyers), the album features eight songs, each with a unique charm and marshmallow shape to match. Magically Delicious encompasses electronics, blues, K-pop, and more, and includes three singles: Clover Jig, Unicorn Do-Hop, and Horseshoe Hoedown. The text of each song alludes to the magical qualities of the respective charms: “Hold, wait a minute / Let me put some clover in it / Hold, yes, you can feel it / Good luck, the clover made it.” Lucky Croons on Clover Jig. The album’s final track was selected by fans via a General Mills Instagram Story poll and posted on Spotify this week.
The project also includes a handful of music videos brought to life by creative agency Anomaly. The videos, which showcase the lyrics of the songs and feature colorful animation, could appeal to parents looking for fun ways to play with their children and raise them.
“Whimsy and nostalgia are at the heart of The Lucky Charms brand, and we’re thrilled that they are turning to the power of digital audio to create something magical – even if that means The Clover Jig will stick in your head for days.” says Ann Piper, Spotify’s Head of Client Partnerships, US Vertical Team.
The brand marketing initiative is Lucky Charms’ first foray into music. However, General Mills is increasingly investing in audio channels. Earlier this month, the company made a remake of Bobby Pickett’s popular Monster Mash around the age of 50. The song was made available on Spotify.
Such initiatives suggest a bigger trend in the world of marketing: audio content and audio advertising are more popular than ever. According to a study by Edison Research in collaboration with Triton Digital, around 57% of US consumers will be listening to podcasts this year. Meanwhile, a study by the Digital Media Association shows that nearly a third of US consumers use a music subscription service. Such trends represent valuable opportunities for advertisers who can reach large audiences with relevant, targeted messages on the platforms they are listening on. In fact, eMarketer data predicts digital audio advertising spending will grow 16% this year alone.
Leveraging the power of audio, General Mills could further accelerate its recent growth. Financial figures released in June show the company posted 3% year-over-year annual sales and 4% organic net sales for the fiscal year ended May. In a statement released with earnings data, the company said, “General Mills believes that changes in consumer behavior due to the Covid-19 pandemic will result in continued consumer demand for food at home compared to pre-pandemic levels. These changes include spending more time working from home and increasing consumer appreciation for cooking and baking. The company plans to take advantage of these opportunities. “
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