Kellogg’s Live Nation music app is just a novelty, says analyst

The ‘Gift Of Music’ app has been launched for the holiday season and runs across specially marked Kellogg and Keebler brands. Consumers can view virtual performances and receive exclusive content from four artists when pointing the app to marked boxes – an exciting, customized experience, Kellogg said.

Matthew Hudak, packaged food analyst at Euromonitor International, said the move towards app marketing is only natural, given that Kellogg has already gone through traditional routes. But he said this move would probably not hold any long-term business benefits.

“For the most part, consumers will treat this as a novelty. They’re not going to be coming back to get all the new content from these artists,”​ he told BakeryandSnacks.com.

“I think consumers will see it, think it’s semi-interesting and use it but beyond that I don’t see this as a true game-changer in marketing,”​ he said.

While it is something new for consumers to interact with, he said it was not necessarily better that listening to personal music and downloads.

‘It’s pretty niche’​

Hudak said that interactive mobile apps in the cereal sector remain “pretty niche”​ but said major manufacturers will look to invest into it because it’s a cost-effective move. “It’s just the cost of the app and QR code on the back, versus extensive television or online marketing campaigns,”​ he said.

Using interactive apps also gives manufacturers opportunities to offer much more than regular packaging can, Hudak said.

“Apps make sense given there are a lot of consumers who have smartphones and who will have in the future, even younger consumers. Let’s be honest – we’re not going back to rotary telephones,”​ he added.