# Olympic-Inspired Cereal Ads This Ad Features the Lucky Charms Leprechaun Helping a Pole Vaulter By Erica Francis | Published 2016-08-04 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lucky-charms-leprechaun References: [adsoftheworld](http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/lucky_charms_pole_vaulter) & [thelatest](http://thelatest.com/story/charms-lucky-streak-vaulter-2677126?news_id=3636825) The iconic Lucky Charms Leprechaun is here and he's helping out a female pole vaulter. The company just launched an Italian ad featuring the mascot as he advises and hilariously brings luck to a young athletic woman. The commercial is incredibly timely considering the [world's biggest sporting event](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chocolate-medals) is about to begin -- the Olympics. Lucky Charms normally isn't seen as an adult cereal. Most consumers would remember its ads to be directed towards children. While the General Mills' brand still focuses on children, it seems to be casting a wider net to capture an older target market. Millennial adults might remember Lucky Charms as a favorite childhood cereal and commercials like these play on popular events to entice and remind the older generation of their love for the [sweet marshmallow-filled breakfast food](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magic-spoon-protein-cereal). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.1/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/humor) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Adult-targeted Cereal Ads:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Expanding the target market of cereal brands by creating ads that appeal to millennial adults who have nostalgic connections with the product. - **Nostalgia Marketing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leveraging nostalgia to create emotional connections with consumers and drive sales of products that are associated with positive childhood memories. - **Real-time Marketing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Capitalizing on current events and popular cultural moments to create timely and relevant advertisements that resonate with consumers. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food and Beverage:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing new marketing strategies to expand the consumer base of established cereal brands. - **Advertising and Marketing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Embracing nostalgia as a powerful marketing tool and exploring new ways to connect with consumers on an emotional level. - **Sports and Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilizing real-time marketing tactics to engage with audiences during major events and maximize brand exposure. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Rainbow Marshmallow Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magic-gems-cereal.md) - [Color-Changing Marshmallow Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lucky-charms-hidden-dragon.md) - [AR-Powered Cereal Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/journey-to-the-magic-gems.md) - [Paralympic Athlete-Celebrating Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nestl-cheerios.md) - [Chromatic Marshmallow Cereal Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lucky-charms-products.md) - [Colorful High-Protein Marshmallow Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-protein-cereal-x-lucky-charms.md) - [Fortune-Telling Cereal Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charmology.md) - [Seasonal Milk-Changing Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/turn-milk-green.md) - [Low-Cost Cereal Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lucky-charms-60th-anniversary.md)