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Rice Krispies Treats Are Paving The Way To Greater Inclusivity With “Feel The Love”

Snap, Crackle, Pop, Rice Krispies! The popular cereal has long been a favorite of kids and parents everywhere and on Tuesday, Kellogg’s gave us another reason to love them, just in time for back to school.

The company unveiled its new “Feel The Love” Braille stickers and recordable audio boxes designed for their Rice Krispies Treats snacks. The stickers, which come in sheets of 8, are written in Braille with words of encouragement, such as “Love You Lots,” “You’re A Star,” and “You’ve Got This.” The heart-shaped stickers fit over the writable wrappers, which were first introduced last summer, allowing parents to write their own love notes to their children.

The company, whose founder W.K. Kellogg lost his own sight later in life, wanted to ensure that the 62,000 children who are visually impaired in the US were also feeling the same love and support as their seeing counterparts. They partnered with the National Federation of the Blind to make sure that the Love Notes program was both accessible and sent a message of positivity about blindness.

Emily Minardi, associate marketing director of Rice Krispies Treats, tells USA Today:

Rice Krispies Treats realized not every child is able to experience the written notes of encouragement on the writable wrappers so we wanted to make these ‘Love Notes’ more accessible this back-to-school season.”

In addition to the Braille stickers, they have also introduced re-recordable audio boxes, which hold a Rice Krispies Treat inside. The devices play a 10-second pre-recorded message when opened and can be changed over 1,000 times.

Jessica Waller, vice president of sales and co-chair of Kapable Business/Employee Resource Group at Kellogg, reinforced the company’s commitment to inclusivity:

Inclusion is in our DNA, and is now shared through Rice Krispies Treats ‘Love Notes. Everyone is important, and we want each child to be able to feel loved, supported and acknowledged.”

A-men.

The stickers and audio boxes can be ordered free of charge from the Kellogg website.

I often put little love notes into my children’s lunch kits – just quick little reminders that say, “I love you,” “You’re so awesome,” “Hope your day is as great as you.” So many times we don’t realize the impact these small gestures have on the confidence and happiness of our children. Thankfully, companies such as Kellogg’s are working to change that. All children deserve to be represented and included, in all facets of life, defined not by their differences but by that which makes us all the same.

This is not the first time that Kellogg’s has campaigned for inclusivity. For Father’s Day, its Instagram post proved that a picture is worth a thousand words.

The company has also partnered its brand Froot Loops with the United Way on an anti-bullying initiative, United To Be Kind, in honor of National Friendship Day on Sunday, Aug. 5. Its slogan, “Whatever Froots Your Loops,” encompasses their belief that EVERYONE has the right to be their authentic, true selves without fear of persecution. The company’s press release states:

Our slogan, “Whatever Froots Your Loops,” means to embrace and encourage individuality – to be your authentic self and have fun while doing it. Young people who are perceived as different from their peers are often at risk for being bullied. Committing to the fight against bullying is a natural extension of our belief that we should all embrace our individuality and be accepted for what makes us unique as individuals.

Here’s to Kellogg’s blazing a trail of inclusion and equality that we can only hope other companies will soon follow.