Updating a cult classic for a hungry new generation of fans.

In 1996, Chex Quest – a reskinned, family-friendly version of the controversial Doom video game appeared in cereal boxes. The promotion was a massive success, flying off shelves in record time and introducing a generation of young gamers to a first-person shooter that their moms would actually let them play.

So, in 2020 when an HD remake of of Chex Quest was planned for a completely different brand, Chex Mix, we had our work cut out for us – we needed to introduce the game and expanded storyline (with new characters for each Chex Mix piece) to a new generation while honoring what had made it memorable to so many fans. To do it, we launched a multi-platform campaign that went were the gamers and snackers were – Reddit, Steam, Twitch, comic book stores, as well as grocery and convienence stores nationwide.

We launched with special-edition packaging that made unlocking characters exclusive to key retailers. On Reddit, we tracked down a fan whose mom had made his Chex Quest Halloween costume in 1996 and gave him an upgrade created by Hollywood special effects artists. For Free Comic Book day we assembled an international team of creators to give each of the characters a backstory in the 'Untold Tales of Chex Quest' comic anthology. We even enlisted Conan O'Brien to try the game on his 'Clueless Gamer' segment.

The broad-reaching campaign saw big results. Chex Quest HD had twice the number of downloads of the average indie game on Steam. The comic anthology recieved praise from CBR, Bleeding Cool, and more. And, once they’d downloaded it, fans spent over 40 minutes playing the game, adding up over 33,000 hours of brand engagement. The work went on to grab wins in One Show and the Creative Media Awards. Best of all, it all translated to growth for the brand. Chex Mix saw a 10% sales lift during the promotion, beating brand forecasts.