Pop-Tarts Unveils 2025 Bowl Mascots

Chicago — Pop-Tarts has released the full lineups for Team Sprinkles, Team Swirls, and a new Protein Slammin’ Strawberry Edible Mascot ahead of the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl, airing December 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The announcement shows new characters, returning favorites, and a Mascot Cam livestream designed to give fans a closer look at the game’s signature comedic sideline moments.

Pop-Tarts confirmed that six Edible Mascots will appear at the game, expanding last year’s viral set of characters. The mascots (all modeled after Pop-Tarts flavors) interact with fans, appear alongside players, and ultimately let the winning team “eat” them, continuing the brand’s well-known event.

What’s new for the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl

Team Sprinkles leads with an all-new lineup:

Protein Slammin’ Strawberry: A buff, high-protein mascot making its first appearance as team captain.
Frosted Cherry
Frosted Cookies & Crème

Team Swirls combines legacy mascots with returning favorites:

Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Frosted Wild Berry
Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae

Pop-Tarts is also launching its first Mascot Cam, a live social feed hosted on the @PopTartsBowl TikTok channel. The livestream will run alongside the broadcast, offering real-time mascot entrances, sideline interactions, and comedic moments.

According to Leslie Serro, vice president of marketing for Pop-Tarts, the expansion aims to meet rising fan interest.

“Pop-Tarts fans can’t get enough of the playful, unexpected energy we bring to college football,” Serro said. “Expanding from three to six Edible Mascots isn’t just about upping the fun — it’s about showcasing all the fan-favorite varieties we have to offer.”

The brand called the 2025 event its “wildest experience yet,” after last year’s activation generated major online attention and industry awards.

Industry context

Pop-Tarts’ growing involvement in college football aligns with broader CPG trends centered on experiential branding, social-first campaigns, and limited-time entertainment tie-ins. Edible mascots, product-personality crossovers, and livestream extensions show how snack brands are using sports environments to drive cultural relevance, especially among Gen Z and young adult audiences who seek humorous, interactive brand moments.

The addition of a protein-forward mascot reflects ongoing consumer interest in functional snacks, while the Mascot Cam aligns with the industry’s shift toward vertical video and real-time social engagement during major televised events.

Why it matters

Pop-Tarts’ 2025 activation illustrates how CPG brands are blending entertainment, digital storytelling, and flavor-led branding to capture sports fandom at scale. The expanded mascot roster and livestream component reflect the growing importance of social extensions to complement traditional broadcast visibility.

This approach helps brands stay competitive, generate earned media, and remain culturally relevant in a market where experiential marketing increasingly shapes consumer expectations.

Editor’s note: Source86 perspective

For snack manufacturers and private label brands, the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl highlights the ongoing shift toward integrated entertainment-driven marketing. Limited-time characters, playful brand personas, and social-first extensions increasingly serve as tools for building visibility and strengthening consumer connections.

At Source86, we support brands through bulk ingredient sourcing, private label production, co-manufacturing, co-packing, and R&D coordination to ensure that when marketing campaigns scale, supply chains can deliver consistently. Our platform helps manufacturers streamline workflows and maintain product availability during high-demand promotional cycles. Contact us.