Perfetti Van Melle, the Dutch-Italian confectionery company, and Quaker Oats, the US company owned by PepsiCo, have joined forces to promote their respective Airheads and Cap'n Crunch brands.
Throughout March and April 2003, a free full-size Airheads bar will be included in over 12 million specially marked boxes of Cap'n Crunch cereal and 200 lucky sweepstakes winners will receive a year's supply of Airheads candy, the companies announced last week.
Also as part of the special promotion, Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berries will feature balloon-shaped cereal in Airheads colours and will include a Cherry Airheads bar. Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch and Cap'n Crunch's Choco Donuts will also have a Cherry Airheads bar inside.
In addition, during the same two-month window, Quaker will offer Cap'n Crunch's Airheads Berries, a special pack in limited distribution. It is an Airheads-flavoured cereal in four Airheads colours and will include a Blue Raspberry Airheads bar.
"This partnership is a great fit because both Airheads and Cap'n Crunch brands are so strong, and complement each other well," said Bob Howard, vice president of marketing at Perfetti Van Melle USA. "Kids who love Airheads candy and love Cap'n Crunch cereal are going to love this combination."
Airheads is one of the leading non-chocolate confectionery brands in the US, and has built its reputation on its interactivity. The confectionery product can be twisted, stretched and moulded into a variety of shapes before it is eaten, a factor which the company claims has helped increase the brand's attractiveness to children.
To support the promotion, Quaker has produced a television commercial which will air on several networks across the US.