NBA star LeBron James was a huge fan of Post Cereals’ Fruity PEBBLES as a kid, and now he’s teaming up with Nike and Post to celebrate the brand.
In a three-way collaboration, the parties will mark National Cereal Day on March 7 with a collection of Nike sneakers, officially licensed from Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
Warner owns the Flintstones license that is at the heart of the Fruity PEBBLES brand. Launched in 1971 after Post secured licensing rights from Hanna-Barbera, PEBBLES cereal was the first brand ever created around a TV show character. The cereal was named for Fred and Wilma Flintstone’s daughter Pebbles.
The full-court press kicks off with the release of a trendy set of kicks. Inspired by LeBron James’ favorite childhood cereal and collaboratively designed by Nike and PEBBLES, the Nike LeBron James 19 Low Magic Fruity PEBBLES shoe is a colorful pair of sneaks that features actual photography of the Magic PEBBLES red and yellow cereal flakes.
“To have an original pair of my Nike sneakers pay tribute to my favorite cereal growing up is surreal,” said James. “Putting them on and seeing the colorway come to life is even better.”
The real magic, though, is the new 19 Low’s Photochromic DCS Technology where the shoe’s airbag uses the power of the sun’s UV light to transition a completely clear Air unit to a purple colorway. This first-time collaboration between Fruity PEBBLES x LeBron means fans everywhere can unlock two colorways, both on and off the court.
This shoe launch is paired with the release of Magic Fruity PEBBLES cereal. The new variety mirrors the coloration of the Nike 19 Lows: with crispy, delicious red and yellow rice flakes that magically turn your milk purple, all with the same great taste you’ve come to expect and crave from Fruity PEBBLES. Available for a limited time only, the cereal is delicious, gluten-free and graced with the magical ability to turn your bowl of cereal into an Instagrammable royal feast for the senses.
“The PEBBLES brand is all about finding new ways to surprise and excite fans,” said Leah Broeders, Head of Licensing for PEBBLES cereal. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Nike to launch this one-of-a-kind color-changing collab just in time for National Cereal Day. When we learned that LeBron was a huge fan of the cereal when he was a kid, we knew this was a no-brainer. It’s truly the biggest partnership since the stone ages!”
Broeders says this launch includes two new consumer engagement programs that will turn the release into a true slam dunk.
First, each box of Magic Fruity PEBBLES features an on-pack promotion that offers all fans 20% off one single item at Nike.com, and sweepstakes for a chance to win your very own pair of the ultra-limited-edition Nike LeBron19 Low color-changing shoes. Secondly, PEBBLES is hosting a YABBA DABBA Dunk Contest for kids ages 6 to 15. Starting March 10, consumers can submit their most creative dunks and trick shots at createwithpebbles.com for a chance to win a year’s supply of PEBBLES cereal and a chance to be featured on the JumboTron at a professional basketball game.