Are the grandchildren coming for a visit soon? Why not please them with a box of Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Golden Grahams, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch along with their favorite computer game?
The next generation of cereal box prizes is very grandparent-friendly and is coming to a store near you. Through the month of September, fourteen million General Mills’ cereal boxes will include a full-version, top-selling Hasbro family software game such as Monopoly Jr. or Boggle. The free CD-ROMs being packaged with the cereal might surprise any savvy software buyers who know what to expect to pay for quality children's software. Each CD-ROM features an interactive version of one of five popular Hasbro family games - Monopoly Jr., Chutes and Ladders, Boggle, Operation, or Ultimate Yahtzee published by Infogrames Interactive, Inc. and distributed by Infogrames, Inc.
Through the years, cereal box prizes have often reflected major cultural trends and interests. For instance, a 1930s cereal bowl offer featured an innovative new substance called plastic. As millions of families purchased their first automobiles in the 1950s, kids clamored to get their hands on miniature license plates, making them one of the most popular cereal giveaways ever.
Now, the trend is technology. In fact, parents are eager for their children to become computer whiz kids. A nationwide survey of 1,000 adults shows that 51% of parents would rather their child have the talent to master computers like Bill Gates than play sports like Michael Jordan (20%), sing like Whitney Houston (8%), or act like Susan Sarandon (4%).
The same survey, conducted by General Mills, shows that 90% of parents think computer games can be good educational tools for children. Quality software often comes with a high price tag. Most adults say they expect to pay at least $25 for a desirable children's computer game. But with General Mills’ new promotion, the software is free. All you have to do is buy their cereal.
Look for the CD-ROMs to be attached to specially marked boxes of Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Golden Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Since each CD-ROM is visible on the front of the cereal box, grandparents can easily collect all five games and be ready for the next visit of those grandkids.
