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Keebler has announced the return of its limited-edition Spookie Fudge Stripes cookies across US retail channels ahead of the 2026 Halloween trading period.
Entering its second year, the seasonal release is backed by the expanded "Spookie Stripes Safari" campaign, which combines nationwide brick-and-mortar zoo partnerships with an interactive digital gaming platform at OpenForMagic.com.
The cross-channel campaign highlights how consumer packaged goods (CPG) bakery brands deploy gamification, on-pack digital integration, and family-focused experiential marketing to drive retail velocity and household engagement during the competitive autumn seasonal window.
Experiential Marketing and Zoo Safari Activations
To drive physical brand interaction and seasonal footfall, Keebler has partnered with marketing agency Allionce Group to expand its in-person activations across major US metropolitan zoological parks.
The experiential zoo programmes feature on-site safari explorations where visiting families can identify striped animal species, interact with branded installations, participate in product sampling, and meet brand mascot Ernie the Elf.
The participating zoological institutions for the 2026 campaign include:
🦁 Brookfield Zoo: Chicago, Illinois
🦘 Nashville Zoo at Grassmere: Nashville, Tennessee
🦒 Phoenix Zoo: Phoenix, Arizona
🦏 Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium: Kansas City, Missouri
🐘 Houston Zoo: Houston, Texas
🐅 Minnesota Zoo: Apple Valley, Minnesota
The physical activations are included with general admission and zoo memberships throughout the promotional period. Additionally, the brand is running a national sweepstakes sending a winning family on an all-inclusive VIP experiential trip to the Nashville Zoo.
Digital Gamification and On-Pack Integration
Alongside physical zoo activations, Keebler is utilising on-pack QR codes to connect retail purchases with its proprietary digital platform at OpenForMagic.com.
First launched in 2025, the web platform has expanded for the 2026 trading period with updated digital gameplay, new virtual animal habitats, and refreshed interactive content. Consumers scan packaging to access an illustrated digital zoo where users locate hidden striped cookies among wildlife environments to enter for promotional prizes.
Gabrielle Young, Brand Manager for Keebler Fudge Stripes & LTOs, stated that the initiative was designed to offer accessible family entertainment across both digital home environments and physical zoo locations.
Mark Giovino, Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of Allionce Group, added that partnering with prominent national zoos allows the brand to establish experiential touchpoints in trusted family leisure destinations during the peak Halloween period.
Seasonal Formulation and Distribution
The seasonal SKU translates Keebler's core fudge stripe architecture into a themed holiday format.
The product specifications for the seasonal release include:
🍪 Spookie Fudge Stripes Formulation: Chocolate shortbread cookies decorated with vanilla-flavoured orange stripes and seasonal Halloween designs.
📱 Smart Packaging Architecture: Secondary retail cartons integrated with direct-response QR codes linking to digital engagement hubs.
Keebler Spookie Fudge Stripes have commenced nationwide commercial distribution across mass grocery, supermarket, and convenience channels in the United States, remaining available as a short-run, limited-time offering throughout the autumn trading period while promotional stocks last.
