"After a three-year hiatus, Cheez-It has officially brought its mascot Prince Cheddward out of retirement in time for this year's Citrus Bowl. As sports marketing gets more crowded, Cheez-Ithopes its revived brand mascot will drum up enough fan nostalgia to drive more sales. "He's a fan-favorite asset who helps us stand out without needing to 'out-spend' or 'out-shout' anyone," said Cara Tragseiler, senior brand director for Cheez-It. It's increasingly necessary for brands to find new ways to break through the noise."
""Everything is sponsored now. So slapping your logo on something isn't going to have the relevance or the talk factor that it would have 10 years ago," said Graham Douglas, co-founder and creative director at Gus, an indie creative agency. Hence the need for Prince Cheddward's return. The beloved brand mascot has seemingly worked for the likes of Duolingo with Duo the Owl, or Ellie the Elephant, who represents the New York Liberty WNBA team."
""They aren't just telling a story, they are creating a 'mythology' that can serve as a powerful 'hook' elevating Cheez-It's to top-of-mind," said Noah Mallin, founder of Mallination, a marketing consultancy. Cheez-It has long invested in sports - in its eighth consecutive year as a Bowl sponsor. College football is a marketing core pillar while the Kellanova-owned snack brand has plans to increase its professional basketball footprint, Tragseiler said."
Cheez-It revived mascot Prince Cheddward for the Citrus Bowl after a three-year hiatus to harness fan nostalgia and drive sales. The brand frames the mascot as a fan-favorite, cost-efficient asset that helps Cheez-It stand out without needing to outspend competitors. Sports sponsorship has grown more saturated, with the WNBA hosting a record 46 sponsors and many marketers planning increased sponsorship investment. Simple logo placements no longer guarantee relevance or conversation. Brands increasingly build character-driven mythologies, and Cheez-It continues heavy sports investment, expanding from college football into professional basketball while partnering with athletes.
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