Frosted Flakes Taps JID to Remix ’90s Jingle ‘Hey Tony’ for a New Generation

Tony the Tiger is back in rotation.

Frosted Flakes has teamed up with Grammy-nominated rapper JID to remix its ’90s-era “Hey Tony” jingle.

The Kellogg's brand then placed the updated track on popular streaming platforms Apple Music and Spotify to target younger generations.

The new version carries the "Surround Sound" artist's cadence and references growing up with the cereal.

This folds his own childhood memories into Tony the Tiger’s long-standing message about confidence and self-belief.

The campaign was developed by Publicis Groupe's Power of One, together with Leo Chicago, MSL, and Starcom.

Tony the Tiger in the Streaming Era

Frosted Flakes puts one of its most recognizable assets into a format that can circulate independently.

The song sits next to everything else in a playlist. It can be replayed, shared, and discovered outside the context of a commercial break, spreading brand awareness.

Tony has been around since 1952, and the jingle has cycled through decades of Saturday mornings.

The remix functions as a reintroduction to younger audiences without having to rewrite the iconic character.

The track is rooted in the rapper's own recollections of growing up with Frosted Flakes.

Lines reference simpler mornings and cartoons, linking the cereal to formative moments that build confidence without leaning solely on archival imagery.

♪♫♪ Every day, we get this chance to wake up and motivate

So I had to ask Tony, tell me, "What you got to say?"

What you got to tell the kids to keep their confidence in place?

Tell them that they did, they did, they did great, yeah ♪♫♪

The track is designed to live independently of commercials, a shift toward sound-led branding that allows the jingle to circulate organically.

According to MCR Data published by SonoSuite, 99% of Gen Z in the U.S. use a streaming platform to listen to new music.

Meanwhile, 98% os American Millennials, 96% of Gen X, and 89% of Boomers also use streaming services for their music listening.

This kind of usage rate shows how streaming penetrates a wide range of demographics, especially for younger generations.

This gives Frosted Flakes a chance to enter everyday listening routines, keeping its mascot present and relevant without relying on traditional media buys.

Day Ones Bowl Game Launch

The track will also be introduced at the Frosted Flakes Day Ones Bowl Game on Feb. 22.

It's a seven-on-seven football event held at Carrollton High School in Atlanta, which is JID’s hometown.

Limited-edition “Day Ones” apparel and a collectible cereal box featuring a custom illustration of JID and Tony the Tiger will accompany the launch, with a QR code that links to Spotify.

The collectible shirts and box, on the other hand, will be available exclusively through JID’s online store, creating a tighter loop between artist, brand, and fan.

Frosted Flakes' approach reflects how brands are adjusting their heritage assets in a streaming-first environment.

• Reissue recognizable assets with contemporary voices. Familiar elements travel further through artists who carry their own audiences.
• Distribute brand music where music lives. Streaming platforms extend reach better than paid media slots.
• Support digital releases with tangible cues. Limited-edition packaging reinforces cultural drops at the shelf level.

When a jingle leaves the ad slot and enters a playlist, it gains a different kind of reach, one that depends on measurable music consumption.

Our Take: Where Does Tony the Tiger Belong Now?

Tony still works and is a highly recognizable and valuable brand asset. Nostalgia is in and all, but I think he still needs to adjust to modern media.

And this is what Frosted Flakes is doing. JID’s involvement gives Tony a voice and visual that's contemporary without stripping away his identity.

Cereal is a category built on repetition. The same box, the same bowl, the same morning routine.

And I think that integrating the jingle into streaming music culture adds another touchpoint to this routine.

In other news, Folgers recently revived its own long-running jingle as part of a push to reconnect with younger consumers.

Food and beverage brands adapting to generational turnover often collaborate with creative partners experienced in updating long-standing assets. Explore these top agencies in our directory.