1673 W 8th Street Erie, PA 16505 | 814 454.6236 | PAPAadvertising.com
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Waking up to brand success
What’s for breakfast? Waking up to brand success. It’s a Saturday morning in 1963, and a child perched in front of a television set watches intently as Dishonest John, “D.J.,” assumes his villainous robotic octopus disguise, “Billy the Squid,” and attempts to foil a high seas adventure of Beany and Cecil on the classic cartoon program of the same name. “Nya-ah-ahh!” D.J. shouts as Beany and Cecil turn tail and run, (although it should be noted that Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent’s tail was never revealed throughout the years the program aired.) On Dishonest John’s business card appears his credo: “Dirty deeds done dirt cheap. Special rates for Sundays and holidays.” (Yes, it was the inspiration for the ACDC song title.) During a commercial break, Alfie, Brunhilde and Sea Dog appear on The Good Ship Guppy, protecting the valuable cereal treasure stored in the hold from the notorious Barefoot Pirate Jean LaFoote. At the helm of the Guppy, of course, was the famous Cap’n Crunch a character, replete with blue, cocked naval hat, gold epaulets, and white moustache and eyebrows – the later attached to his hat where they took on a life of their own. The power of cartoons and cereal brands Forty-seven years later, the Beany and Cecil show, one of the first color televisions series to air on ABC, has long been retired to the cartoon hall of fame, a dim but fond memory in the minds of Adult Females and Males 50+. But the Cap’n Crunch brand is still going strong, a testament to the power of television advertising, brand animation, and the enduring, if not addicting, appeal of processed corn and sugar. Certainly more than coincidence is at play in the fact that some of the most popular and long-lasting cereal brands were introduced in the 1960s, the same time that many classic cartoons programs appeared. Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Krispies, Trix, Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Sugar Smacks, Apple Jacks, Alpha Bits, Honeycomb, Kix, Lucky Charms, Special K, Total and Wheaties all found their way into grocer’s aisles during the 60s and remain there today. (All Bran and Raisin Bran also belong in that category, but it’s safe to assume they were targeted to a different demo than the offspring of the World War II generation.) Cartoon programs appearing during the same era are etched in the memories of millions of adults: Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, Deputy Dawg, Huckleberry Hound, Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, and Mr. Magoo, among others.
As vital as the burgeoning broadcast medium of television was to the success of many cereal brands were the creative constructs of the brands themselves. Cap’n Crunch, Tony the Tiger, Trix Rabbit, Sugar Bear, and the Lucky Charms leprechaun were among the animated characters created to personify brands. Some, such as the Cap’n, were frequently portrayed in 30-second commercial mini-dramas protecting the treasured cereal from thieving pirates and other disasters. Others, like Trix Rabbit, were dedicated to continually but unsuccessfully getting their hands on the prize: “Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.” Perhaps the most truthful words spoken came from Sonny the Cuckoo Bird, whose histrionics and catchphrase – “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!” – rather eerily replicated a child’s frenetic behavior after putting down a second bowl. Cocoa Puffs may have been chocolate-flavored but, unlike “magically delicious” Lucky Charms, there was no secret to their appeal, and in 2009 General Mills announced that it was cutting the sugar content to less than 10 grams, a 25 percent reduction from the original recipe. Strategic media. Strong branding. Catchy creative. It’s the formula for success that Americans have been waking up to for 50 years.
1673 W 8th Street Erie, PA 16505 | 814 454.6236 | PAPAadvertising.com