Have you noticed your favorite food brand outside the walls of the grocery store? Chances are you are seeing more brands taking the leap into merchandising products that are designed to help build brand loyalty. After all, the world is now marketing to Gen Z—the ones who have been raised by Gen Xers who left brand loyalty behind a long time ago.

This is not to say it’s a bad thing; in fact, it can be kind of fun to find a pop-up brand in unexpected places. It doesn’t hurt that brands are working hard to be interactive. So when we saw The Cheerios Halloween Play Book, well, we just had to play.

It’s a hardback book for toddlers who may be more inclined to put the Cheerios® in their mouth than in the crevices designed to hold them.  Turns out, Cheerios make great buttons, and are the perfect shape for a ghost’s surprised expression, and become great googly-eyes on a black cat!

The Cheerios® Halloween Play Book//Cheerios®//LanceMellenbruch

Yes, food has definitely found its way into the preschool aisle, as food manufacturing companies recognize that loyalty is earned early in life—and that it’s not always discovered where you would expect it. That’s why brands are engaging in “experiences” such as festivals, pop-up restaurants, and lifestyle products, stepping outside of the food itself to introduce people of all ages to their offerings.

Have a few extra Cheerios that didn’t fit on the pages of the book? Pop ‘em in your mouth and become a kid again! Some brands need little introduction—just a reminder of how fun food can be.

Cheery-O!

Publisher’s Corner is a weekly dive into the world of dining and food that you can find on foodchannel.com!