College football has always been a little bit weird. We’ve seen coaches get doused in mayonnaise and players trophy-hoisting giant chunks of brass shaped like Paul Bunyan. But nothing—honestly, nothing—prepared the internet for the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl. It was a fever dream. A toasted, frosted, strawberry-filled fever dream that culminated in the most bizarrely captivating moment in the history of sports sponsorship.
When Kansas State and NC State lined up at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, the stakes were technically about a post-season win. But let’s be real. Nobody was talking about the linebackers. They were talking about the giant, sentient toaster pastry running around the sidelines.
The Prophecy of the Edible Mascot
For weeks leading up to the game, the marketing team at Kellanova (formerly Kellogg’s) leaned hard into a very specific, slightly dark premise: The mascot wanted to be eaten. It sounds like something out of a horror movie, right? But in the context of the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, it became a viral sensation. They called it the "first-ever edible mascot."
Social media went nuclear.
The mascot, named "Strawberry," spent the entire game performing high-energy stunts, holding up signs that said "Dreams really do come true," and generally acting like a pastry with a death wish. It wasn't just a guy in a suit; it was a commitment to a bit that felt genuinely fresh in an era of sanitized, boring corporate sponsorships. Most brands are terrified of looking "silly" or "unprofessional." Pop-Tarts decided to lean into the absurdity of the human condition.
Why the Humor Worked So Well
People are tired of being sold to. We see thousands of ads a day, and most of them are white noise. What the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl did was transform a standard bowl game—which, let's face it, usually struggles for ratings outside of the College Football Playoff—into a "must-watch" event. You weren't watching for the third-down conversions. You were watching to see if they were actually going to eat a living being on national television.
It was high-stakes performance art.
The Game Behind the Glaze
While the mascot stole the show, the actual football was surprisingly good. Kansas State ended up taking it 28-19. Avery Johnson, the Wildcats' freshman quarterback, showed everyone why he was the future of that program. He threw for 178 yards and ran for another 71. He was electric.
✨ Don't miss: The Detroit Lions Game Recap That Proves This Team Is Different
But even Johnson knew he was the opening act.
NC State put up a fight, but they couldn't quite keep up with the Wildcats' balanced attack. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, not just because of the play on the field, but because the crowd was waiting for the final whistle. They knew what was coming. The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl had promised a ritual, and the fans were ready for it.
Breaking Down the Viral "Sacrifice"
When the game ended, a giant toaster was wheeled onto the field. "Strawberry" the mascot stood on top of it. He waved one last time to the crowd, holding a sign that read "End Me." Then, he slowly descended into the toaster as "Hot in Herre" by Nelly played over the stadium speakers.
It was cinematic.
A few moments later, a giant, actual, edible Pop-Tart emerged from the bottom of the toaster. The Kansas State players descended upon it like a pack of wolves. They tore chunks off it. They held it up like a trophy. It was messy, it was ridiculous, and it was the most successful marketing stunt of the decade.
The Economic Impact of Being Weird
Let's look at the numbers, because that’s where the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl really proves its worth. According to data from Apex Marketing Group, the "earned media" value from the game and the surrounding social media buzz was estimated at over $12 million. That’s for a single game in late December.
To put that in perspective, brands spend millions on 30-second Super Bowl spots. Pop-Tarts got weeks of global coverage, trending topics on X (formerly Twitter), and a permanent spot in the hall of fame of internet memes for the cost of a sponsorship and a very brave person in a pastry suit.
🔗 Read more: The Chicago Bears Hail Mary Disaster: Why Tyrique Stevenson and Bad Luck Changed a Season
- Over 3 million people tuned in to watch the live broadcast.
- The "death" of the mascot generated over 4 billion impressions across social media.
- Sales of Pop-Tarts saw a noticeable "halo effect" in the weeks following the game.
It wasn't just a win for Kansas State; it was a blueprint for how sports marketing has to evolve. In 2026, we’re seeing more brands try to replicate this "unhinged" energy, but most fail because they don't go all the way. You can't just be "kinda" weird. You have to be "edible mascot descending into a toaster" weird.
Why We’re Still Talking About It
Usually, bowl games that aren't for a championship are forgotten within 48 hours. Does anyone remember who won the 2022 version of this game (the Pinstripe Bowl or the Cheez-It Bowl)? Probably not unless you're a die-hard alum. But the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl lives on.
It lives on because it tapped into the "unhinged" brand voice that Gen Z and Millennials crave. It wasn't a corporation talking down to you; it was a corporation joining the chaos of the internet. It felt authentic, even though it was a calculated marketing move.
The "Meme-ification" of Sports
The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl represents the final bridge between traditional sports broadcasting and "internet culture." We no longer just watch the game. We watch the game for the potential memes. We watch for the moments that can be clipped, shared, and joked about in the group chat.
When the mascot was being eaten, my phone didn't stop vibrating for twenty minutes. Every group chat—from my college buddies to my family—was talking about the same thing. That is the holy grail for a marketer.
Lessons for Future Brand Activations
If you're a business owner or a marketer, there are real takeaways here. First: stop being afraid of the "weird." The middle of the road is where brands go to die. Second: commit to the bit. If Pop-Tarts had just had a mascot dancing and then handed out samples, nobody would have cared. The "sacrifice" was the key.
- Risk is a requirement. If there's no chance of it being "too much," it's probably not enough.
- Context matters. This worked because it was a college bowl game, a place where weirdness is already somewhat tolerated.
- Visuals are king. The image of the mascot descending into the toaster is an iconic visual that requires no caption.
We also have to acknowledge the dark humor. There’s something inherently funny about a brand acknowledging that their product is meant to be consumed, and personifying that product just enough to make the consumption feel "wrong." It’s a subversion of the typical mascot relationship where the character is a "friend." Strawberry wasn't just a friend; he was a snack.
💡 You might also like: Steelers News: Justin Fields and the 2026 Quarterback Reality
What’s Next for the Bowl?
Since the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, expectations for the game have shifted. It’s no longer just another stop on the bowl circuit; it’s an event. Other bowls are trying to keep up. We saw the Duke’s Mayo Bowl lean harder into the "mayo dump," and the Frosted Flakes bowl trying to find its own rhythm.
But it’s hard to top a sacrifice.
As we look at the landscape of sports in 2026, the influence of that December night in Orlando is everywhere. Sponsorships are becoming more interactive, more self-aware, and significantly more bizarre. The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl didn't just give us a great game and a hilarious mascot; it gave us a new way to engage with the sports we love.
Actionable Insights for Navigating the New Era of Sports Marketing
To capitalize on the shift started by the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, brands and fans should look toward these specific strategies:
- Prioritize Narrative Over Logo Placement: Don't just slap a logo on a jersey. Create a story—even a ridiculous one—that fans can follow throughout the event.
- Embrace Platform-Specific Content: The Pop-Tarts team knew the "sacrifice" would play perfectly on TikTok and X. Design your peak moments for the "second screen" experience.
- Encourage Fan Participation in the Bit: The best parts of the 2023 game were the fans leaning into the joke. Create "meme-able" environments where the audience feels like they are in on the secret.
- Monitor "Earned Media" Metrics: Shift focus from traditional ad spend to how much conversation your event generates organically. If people aren't talking about it without you paying them to, the activation didn't land.
The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl proved that in the modern attention economy, being unforgettable is more valuable than being "prestigious." It showed us that we’re all just looking for a reason to laugh together—even if that reason is a giant, frosted pastry meeting its inevitable, delicious end.