I always thought it was elves. Same as the Keebler elves making the cookies. Hmmm…

They looked more like elves than gnomes to me. I’ve seen articles that called them either or both within one paragraph. Most of what I read simply called them mascots.

1933
In a Snap™, a star was born. A tiny gnome wearing a baker’s hat and carrying a spoon — the earliest version of Snap™ — appears on the side of the cereal box.

In a few other years listed they’re variously called “boys” and “guys”.

See: https://www.ricekrispies.com/en_US/our-story.html for historical pictures over the years. Cute!

I say it’s the 3 Stooges.

@smudges Thank you for that trip through history. It was fun!

^^ I didn’t know there was a strawberry flavor, and I didn’t know you could get the Rice Krispies treats covered with chocolate! Yummm!

I loved eating them in a bar.

^^ The bars I’ve been in didn’t serve them. ;D

According to the Ad Mascot Wiki the species is “gnome-like elves”.

There’s also a seasonal “shocking orange” Rice Krispies that featur them looking like vampires.

They are elves. They are in witness protection due to the disappearance of their brother Pow. It’s unclear whether they are suspects, witnesses, or simply in fear for their lives.
It is also uncertain if Pow ended up in the same hands as Zeppo Marx, who also mysteriously disappeared with Gummo.