ANA Winners Series: Jenny Lindquist
How are top marketers pushing boundaries and rewriting the rules of engagement?
In the rapidly evolving world of marketing, bold ideas and brave execution are what separate the memorable from the forgettable. As we gear up for the 2026 ANA REGGIE Brand Catalyst Awards, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the campaigns that didn’t just win trophies — they sparked conversations, shifted culture, and redefined what brand bravery looks like.
This special Q+A series shines a light on select winners from the 2025 ANA Awards, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative risks, strategic pivots, and unexpected moments that made their work stand out.
In this segment, Denise McDevitt, SVP of award programs at ANA connected with Jenny Lindquist, senior director of full funnel marketing at Kellanova to discuss their award winning work, 'The First Edible Mascot,' a campaign that turned heads, stirred laughs, and proved that absurdity, when done right, can be genius.
Q> What was the moment you realised that turning a mascot into a snack could be the breakthrough idea for Pop-Tarts?
Jenny> We knew mascots are such a big part of sports culture, and Pop-Tarts is all about celebrating absurdly, doing things differently, defining 'crazy good.' So, if every other brand out there was turning their food into mascots, then we needed to do the opposite: turn our mascot into food. Once we realised that, it just all clicked. It was bold, obvious, and, most importantly, delicious.
Q> The whole effort is a great example of absurdity and genius – a pretty bold creative risk. What was the internal reaction when you pitched the edible mascot - and how did you get everyone on board?
Jenny> When our Weber Shandwick partners first shared the idea, the room was split between stunned silence and uncontrollable laughter - which, honestly, is exactly how you know you're onto something bold. At first, people naturally asked, "Wait, are we really going to feed our mascot to the winning team?"
The turning point was grounding the idea in strategy. This wasn't a gimmick for shock value - it was a natural extension of Pop-Tarts' DNA: being unexpected, playful, and always Crazy Good. Fans were already speculating, 'What will Pop-Tarts do?' and expecting us to push boundaries.
Once we showed how the concept was built on real fan anticipation, celebrated the audience with a knowing wink, and kept our food at the centre of the moment, the hesitation flipped into excitement. That's when it shifted from a wild idea to a bold brand act everyone wanted to champion.
Q> Was this the first time Pop-Tarts invested in the sports sponsorship landscape?
Jenny> Yes, this was Pop-Tarts' first foray into sports sponsorship, and we wanted to make it count. College football felt like such a natural fit - it's brimming with rituals, fanfare, and moments of fun, all of which align perfectly with the Pop-Tarts brand. We didn't want to just dip our toe into the space or do what everyone else does; we needed to make it our own. The Edible Mascot - and the broader spectacle surrounding the Pop-Tarts Bowl - allowed us to extend the reach of our brand beyond breakfast and into a space where fans of all ages could engage with us in a meaningful, delightful way.
Q> The mascot's 'sacrifice' became a cultural moment. How did you plan for virality, and what surprised you most about the reaction?
Jenny> First, you can never expect virality. But when we first mapped out the mascot sacrifice, we knew it had the potential for extreme talkability - it was so unexpected and playful. Throughout the two years we've leaned into series of pre-planned elements made for the internet: on-field mascot antics, an MVP-driven decision, surprise cameos from a zombie mascot, and plenty more that we knew were meme-ready.
And what continues to surprise us is just how much the fans are game to run with our visuals and make them their own. Watching their creative spins - like 'Which Olympic sport would the mascot tackle next?' or placing our mascot in wholly unexpected places - takes it to a whole new level. You can't manufacture that kind of organic love for your brand."
Q> With a modest budget for this marketing effort, what were the smartest investments or trade-offs you made to stretch impact?
Jenny> Our smartest investment was, and always is, in storytelling. Instead of spreading ourselves thin, we focused on creating a series of high-impact moments - like the mascot reveal and the toaster trophy - that could carry the campaign's buzz throughout the season, building anticipation to game day. Each one was rooted in our strategy, and we actively chose not to reveal everything at the start, stoking excitement, building mystery, and creating anticipation that drove people to want to tune in, and do so with a Pop-Tarts in hand.
There were so many metrics of success, but I am most proud of the fact that after the first year's game, we sold 22 million more Pop-Tarts toaster pastries in the eight weeks following, versus the previous eight weeks.
Q> What was the biggest logistical challenge in bringing the edible mascot to life, and how did your team overcome it?
Jenny> Honestly, the toughest part wasn't creating the mascot itself - it was creating the right tone for them to exist. We knew we needed to walk a line of being authentic and credible, while still being funny, speaking fluent internet, and not crossing the line and being cringe. We leaned into absurdity in a way that felt intentional and self-aware. We made sure to listen to, and build from, what fans loved about us - playfulness, irreverence, a touch of chaos.
We intentionally added small details and signals that were super important to engage our fans, from our 'Dreams Really Do Come True' sign and a literal wink on the final pastry. Finally, we knew we couldn't be too precious either, which is the hardest thing to do as a marketer. We created moments that we knew our fans would love, but then we let them run with it, making it meaningful in their own worlds, in places far beyond our football stadium.
Q> What was the most memorable moment for your team during the execution of The First Edible Mascot?
Jenny> The first was right before the sacrifice. The crowd organically began chanting 'Toast That Mascot! Toast That Mascot!' - a moment we couldn't have scripted if we tried. We had built in so many intentional beats, but to see 60,000 fans create an unscripted cultural moment, and to be in it, was surreal. The second was the groundswell that followed. Friends from every corner of my network - not just in marketing - sent me clips asking, 'Did you see this?' Many didn't even realise it was my brand behind it. That's when you know you've transcended advertising and tapped into culture.
And finally, while we don't do it for the awards, the rallying support behind this little campaign that could - culminating in wins like a Reggie Best In Show, a Grand Clio and a Grand Prix at Cannes - and celebrating with the team that put every ounce of effort they had, was truly the frosting on the Pop-Tart.
Q> If you could redo or change one thing from the experience, what would it be?
Jenny> I know this is corny, but absolutely nothing. Look, this program was not perfect, and there were always going to be tense moments, things that don't go according to plan and curveballs. But it's how we and our agency partners and our vendors banded together to always find solutions, and to be agile while remaining true to the brand - honestly, I wouldn't change a thing.
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The ANA REGGIE Brand Catalyst Awards honour the ideas, strategies, and activations that move brands - and the industry - forward. Evolving from the historic REGGIE Awards established in 1983, the program recognises work that catalyses growth across four dimensions of brand impact: Brand Belief, Brand Equity, Brand Activation, and Brand Measurement. Celebrating creativity, data, and purpose working in harmony to drive measurable business outcomes, the REGGIE Brand Catalyst Awards reflect the ANA’s mission to power the marketing agenda and champion work that drives meaningful brand and business growth.
The final deadline to submit work into the 2026 REGGIE Brand Catalyst Awards is February 27th, 2026.
The REGGIE Brand Catalyst Awards Gala and celebration of the best brand marketing will take place at a special evening dinner event on May 19th, 2026, at the 2026 ANA Brand Masters Conference, in Los Angeles, CA. Awards will be presented to top brands and agencies for the top brand marketing campaigns of 2025 across 30 different categories. The event culminates with the Best in Show Award announcement, honouring the overall top campaign of the competition chosen from the Category Grand Prize winners.
To view the full portfolio of ANA Awards, visit here.
