It’s that time of year again, when we drape our railings in fake cobwebs that usually look terrible and spend $20 on a pumpkin just to stab it. Yes, Halloween season is in full swing. Last year, I sprang into Go-Go Gadget glory as the world’s most oblivious detective. But for 2025, I opted for something berry pink. So grab a spoon, because it’s time to take a big, sugary bite out of the festively frightful.
Halloween 2025 Costume Concept Reveal: Franken Berry
Franken Berry is one of the legendary mascots from General Mills’ iconic line of Monster Cereals. He and his friends are the Saturday morning breakfast club of Count Chocula, Boo Berry, Frute Brute, Yummy Mummy and Carmella Creeper. Each one is a monster archetype turned cartoony, designed to appeal to kids who love sugar and parents who love pretending it’s “part of a balanced breakfast.”
Back in 1971, the first two characters debuted: Count Chocula, the cocoa-loving vampire, and Franken Berry, the strawberry-flavored gentle giant. The duo spent decades bickering in commercials over whose cereal reigned supreme, a rivalry that sent fans sprinting to the cereal aisle in support. The lineup later expanded to include Boo Berry (a blueberry ghost with impeccable hat game) in 1973, Frute Brute (a zany werewolf) in 1974, Yummy Mummy (a fashion-forward mummy in multicolor bandages) in 1987 and Carmella Creeper (she’s a weird little Gen Z zombie DJ who barely counts because no one cares about her) in 2023.
These seasonal monsters quickly became pop culture fixtures, reappearing every fall at grocery stores, like old friends. Their legacy even extended beyond breakfast, spawning a cult following of mail-in merch: stickers, action figures, phonograph records, and other treasures that now haunt eBay (if you’re reading this, buy all of the trinkets for me).
Sure, Franken Berry’s formula had to be revised at one point because it turned people’s poop pink. And sure, a few of his monstrous peers were temporarily exiled from shelves due to a lack of popularity (we’re looking at you Brute, Mummy and Carmella). But Franken Berry endured. He still remains the bubblegum-colored Frankenstein’s monster of our hearts. He might rank second in popularity behind Count Chocula, but after 50+ years, Franken Berry continues to prove that strawberry has a staying power, especially when served with marshmallows.
Meet the 2025 Halloween Team
Laura Beckerdite is a Photographer/Producer with a list of notable clients under her belt such as Netflix, Spotify, Kidz Bop, LEGO, The NFL and more. When she’s not working with brands, you’ll find her collaborating with musicians — turning their visions into visuals. After a decade of friendship, Laura has directed and photographed some of my favorite Halloween projects such as King Kandy of Candy Land (2021), A Tribute to Goosebumps (2022), Cap’n Crunch (2023), Inspector Gadget (2024) as well as this year’s costume, Franken Berry.
Check out the hashtag #BrendanDoesHalloween on Instagram to see more of my costumes or visit my professional site here. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my Franken Berry shoot on social media, coming soon. Happy Halloween!