The lovable, cheery-faced bee will be noticeably missing from the boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios in Canada. That's because General Mills, the company which produces the breakfast cereal, wants to help put the spotlight on the global decline in bee population that could potentially affect crops and food production the world over.
The Honey Nut Cheerios mascot, Buzz, has always been a mainstay on the boxes and commercials for the breakfast favorite and this will be the first time he will be removed for a campaign.
"One-third of the foods we depend on for our survival are made possible by the natural pollination work that bees provide," said Emma Eriksson, director of Marketing for General Mills Canada.
In addition to removing Buzz from their cereal boxes, General Mills also partnered with Cossette for a supporting campaign that includes a microsite, TV spot, online video and contests to help #BringBackTheBees.
The companies want to plant one wildflower seedling for every Canadian in the population. That's 35 million people and 35 million flowers for wild bees to pollinate and help restore their colonies.
To aid in this wildflower planting goal, Honey Nut Cheerios and Veseys is offering to mail some seeds for free. Each order will also qualify those who are eligible to win one of five wildflower garden makeovers or free seeds.
"General Mills' decision to draw attention to the issue of declining bee populations marks the continuation of its commitment to purpose-based marketing, which means brands will go beyond traditional statements such as product benefit in order to align with what's really important to consumers," said Peter Ignazi, chief creative officer for Cosette.
Maintaining healthy bees and keeping their numbers up worldwide is not only important for honey production, which has been used since ancient time for its antibiotic properties, but also ensures that flowers are properly pollinated for crops as well as forests to thrive.
