By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon
If you’re a fan of the Monster Cereals mascots and grew up watching Jim Henson productions, there’s an 100% chance you’ll love this new collaboration from General Mills and The Jim Henson Company. This year, Franken Berry, Count Chocula and Boo Berry have been brought to life as puppets in the Jim Henson universe to celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary.
Videos on TikTok and Instagram chronicle the trio’s spooktacular new adventures as they embrace their fuzzy new forms. And speaking of fuzzy, a fleece-like Franken Berry cereal box is heading to the breakfast aisle. The limited-edition cereal box will be on sale at Walmart.com beginning October 7 and is a must-have for any Monster Cereals enthusiasts and merch collectors.
For Mindy Murray, Brand Experience Director at General Mills, this partnership was a marketer’s dream come true. PopIcon caught up with Murray to chat about how this collaboration was set into motion, the surprising reason Franken Berry received the fuzzy cereal box over Count Chocula or Boo Berry, and why General Mills loves to surprise fans when it comes to the Monsters.
Congratulations on this collaboration! I would love to know more about your own relationship with The Jim Henson Company and how this partnership came about.
Thank you so much. We’re thrilled with how this partnership came together. Like so many people, I grew up watching their productions like The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock and continue to love the Jim Henson story and talent as an adult. Working with The Jim Henson Company is definitely a full-circle moment.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of The Jim Henson Company, and we saw an exciting opportunity to help celebrate this legacy by giving our own Monsters Cereal mascots a special Henson makeover.
Beyond the nostalgia, this partnership gave us a chance to surprise both Henson fans and Monsters Cereal lovers in a whole new sensory way – from the creation of the real puppet mascots to the limited edition fuzzy-to-the-touch Franken Berry box. Having our brands turn into real life puppets is truly a marketer’s dream!
What makes the Monster Cereals mascots such a good fit to be reimagined as Jim Henson puppets?
Our Monsters mascots were practically made for puppet form – their big personalities, bold features and charm translate so naturally. And who better to bring them to life than the best – the team at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop?
@cerealsociety Franken Berry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry make their on-camera, on-shelf, and on-cereal box debut, but this time with an iconic Jim Henson twist! Find Monsters Cereals x Jim Henson on shelves now at your local retailer
And you’ve seen the videos on our Cereal Society handle on TikTok and Instagram featuring our Monsters as puppets — amazing, right? They really gave the Monsters room to be themselves: playful, over-the-top, and full of heart. We knew fans would love to reconnect with them in this whole new way, with more personality than ever before.
How did you decide to give Franken Berry a fuzzy cereal box instead of Count Chocula or Boo Berry?
All the Monsters icons would have made an amazing fuzzy-to-the touch cereal box! But Franken Berry was the clear choice for this first-ever tactile box. Not only does his bubblegum-pink hue and sweet strawberry vibe make him visually perfect for a puppet makeover, but he’s also one of our original Monsters.
Given that Franken Berry was inspired by a classic Halloween character known for being brought to life, it felt only fitting to honor him through a partnership that quite literally brought our mascots to life as puppets.
What goes into designing a fuzzy cereal box compared to a typical cereal box?
It’s definitely a detailed process and believe it or not, we have teammates that specialize in this kind of work! What I can say is that whenever we take on a special-edition box like this, our goal is always to honor the brand, celebrate our creative partners, and find new ways to excite our fans. And we think a fuzzy Monster box perfectly delivers on that goal!
With Monsters, we know the cereal box itself has become a true collectible, so this year, we wanted to offer something that felt even more elevated. The fuzzy texture, the dimensional puppet design, and the nods to Jim Henson’s legacy all add up to a box that’s as fun to keep as it is to eat from.
Do you have any fun behind the scenes trivia to share about the making of the Monsters as puppets?
This partnership with The Jim Henson Company was truly a dream come true. They didn’t just create puppets, they brought our Monsters to life in a way that felt authentic, hilarious, and full of heart.
From the smallest details in the puppet design to the character moments in the press day video, the Henson team worked with us to capture everything fans love about Franken Berry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry. You don’t just see the Monsters, you get to meet them.
This was such a special blend of two iconic brands coming together. The Monsters brand has decades of nostalgic power behind it, and The Jim Henson Company helped elevate it with their legendary puppeteering. And Imagine Entertainment helped bring it all to life with the perfect storytelling.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNGQVW-M_OX
In case you didn’t know Count Chocula can be a real diva. For over 50 years, he’s been trying to lead the Monster crew. This shoot was no different, once again Count was all alpha.
While there aren’t any traditional commercials planned at the moment, fans can still catch the Monsters in action through the series of “press day” videos we’re dropping from our @CerealSociety handle on TikTok and Instagram, and interactive content that bring their puppet personalities to life.
Is there merch for sale of the Monsters turned Jim Henson puppets? Any chance plush puppets might be made of the three?
While there aren’t any puppets available to consumers, fans can check out the Jim Henson Online Shop for official merch like t-shirts, cereal bowls, beach towels and more! Coming soon, this year’s big collectible moment is the first-of-its-kind fuzzy Franken Berry box that’s as fun to cuddle as it is to display. It’ll be available exclusively on Walmart.com for $7.70 starting October 7.
And just like how we resurrect Monsters each year, you never know what surprise might be in store next Halloween…
Did you start 2025 knowing about this partnership or did it come together in a more serendipitous fashion? When it comes to the Monsters, do you have a ‘five-year plan’ for these mascots or is it looser and open to reimagining as time and trends go on?
It felt only right for the Monsters to be part of the 70th anniversary celebration of The Jim Henson Company. These are characters fans have loved for generations, and the idea of bringing them to life through puppetry was such a natural fit for both brands.
Over the past few years, we’ve had fun finding unexpected ways to evolve the Monsters. In 2021, we reunited the whole crew for Monster Mash, then introduced our newest mascot, Carmella Creeper, in 2023, and brought in the Monsters’ “furry friends” last Halloween. Now, the OG trio are stars of their own puppet universe.
Every time the Monsters reappear, they show up with their individual quirks and personality while tapping into pop culture moments fans care about. There’s no rigid five-year roadmap, but there is a deep love for these characters and a commitment to surprising fans. If the timing and idea feel right for Count, Boo, or Frank or our other Monsters friends… we’re all in.
Not to put you on the spot with this final question, but… who is your favorite Monster mascot and why?
They are each so unique and make me laugh in different ways. But I’ve always felt a personal connection to Frank. He’s a loveable, gentle giant and sometimes his quieter demeanor makes him easily misunderstood. But when you think about it – a strawberry monster that only comes around once a year – how can you not love him! I’m so glad he’s having his moment to shine this year on the fuzzy limited-edition box.
Image credits: General Mills
About the Author
Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.
