They're Grrrrrrrreat!

January 16, 2009 2:49 PM

Cereal commercials over the decades, starting with Rice Krispies in 1939.

1950s

Alphabits
Alphabits (animated, feat. short-lived character "Lovable Truly" and a leg-humping dog )
Cheerios (featuring The Cheerios Kid)
Cheerios (featuring The Cheerios Kid and Bullwinkle)
(Sugar) Frosted Flakes
(Sugar) Frosted Flakes (with Superman)
Rice Krispies
Wheaties

1960s
Apple Jacks ("A bowl a day keeps the bullies away")
Cap'n Crunch (B/W; actually attempts to claim that the cereal is healthy)
Cap'n Crunch (Sing along!)
Cheerios (animated, rocket theme)
Cheerios (Live action, space theme)
Cocoa Puffs
Corn Flakes (featuring the Beverly Hillbillies; apparently, Corn Flakes are responsible for Ellie Mae's cleavage)
Corn Flakes (American Gothic take-off; MUST WATCH)
Corn Flakes (featuring Homer & Jethro)
Froot Loops (in Pig Latin)
(Sugar) Frosted Flakes
(Sugar) Frosted Flakes
Grape Nuts
Grape Nuts (early use of the MILF as an advertising tool)
Grape Nuts (featuring Andy Griffith and Don Knotts)
Honeycomb
Kix
Lucky Charms
Quisp
Rice Krispies
Trix

1970s
Alphabits (featuring the Jackson 5)
Apple Jacks
Cap'n Crunch
Cocoa (and Fruity) Pebbles
Corn Flakes (featuring Babe Ruth)
Count Chocula and BooBerry
Froot Loops
Frosted Flakes
Grape Nuts (with Euell Gibbons)
Kix
Life (the classic Mikey commercial)
Quisp
Raisin Bran
Rice Krispies
Trix
Wheaties (Bruce Jenner)

1980s
Alphabits
Alphabits (video game influence):
Apple Jacks
Apple Jacks (featuring Urkel before he hit the big time)
Bran Flakes (Can you tell who's had their Bran Flakes?)
Cap'n Crunch (Bubble-blowing robot = Blowbot)
Cheerios (featuring The Cheerios Kid)
Cocoa Pebbles
Corn Flakes (featuring Keanu Reeves)
Count Chocula/Frankenberry/Booberry
Crispy Critters (Indubitably delicious!)
Froot Loops
Frosted Flakes
Golden Crisp
Grape Nuts ("You know when you have it good")
Honeycomb (featuring Andre the Giant)
Kix
Lucky Charms
Nintendo
Raisin Bran (Two scoops!)
Rice Krispies
Trix (Guest starring Bugs Bunny)
Wheaties (Mary Lou Retton)

1990s

Alphabits (featuring a weirdly funky wizard)
Apple Jacks
Cap'n Crunch
Cocoa Pebbles
Cocoa Puffs
Corn Flakes
Count Chocula
Froot Loops
Frosted Flakes ("Brings out the tiger in you!")
Golden Crisp
Grape Nuts
Kix
Lucky Charms
Sugar Crisp
Wheaties (Michael Jordan)

posted by mudpuppie (32 comments total)

Holy crap, what a great post. Is there a contest this month, too?
posted by not_on_display at 2:55 PM on January 16, 2009

That first Frosted Flakes one was great. I'd eat more cereal if the spokespeople rode bulls instead of sitting in their upper middle class kitchens, wearing their upper middle class sweaters, and smiling contentedly at the wonderful upper middle class day they're about to start.
posted by Science! at 3:05 PM on January 16, 2009

I was looking at the modern cereal boxes recently . All the characters look like they're on some serious meth.
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:08 PM on January 16, 2009

Omigod, Pup O' Noodles! I don't think I even need to look at the rest of them past the 1939 Krispies.

I absolutely love the 1930's. And Rice Krispies! Thanks, Snap Crackle and Pop for keeping my breakfast bowl crisp and free from neighborhood thugs!
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 3:14 PM on January 16, 2009

It's dinner time and I now want cereal.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 3:27 PM on January 16, 2009

Crap man, I must have been three or four when I last saw those Cocoa Pebbles ads.
I used to call them 'Bootooroobits'.
posted by dunkadunc at 3:28 PM on January 16, 2009

I absolutely love the 1930's.

That's good. If the economy gets much worse, you'll be living in them.
posted by jonmc at 3:32 PM on January 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

A friend's father produced a lot of those 60's and 70's ads- and that Norelco ad with the sleigh-riding Santa. He also invented "Schoolhouse Rock".

He also created ads to "unsell the war" during the Vietnam War. I don't think the ads were shown in the US.
posted by Zambrano at 3:46 PM on January 16, 2009

In Soviet Russia, the 1930s live in...

Fuck it. Very cool and crunchy post.
posted by Dumsnill at 4:12 PM on January 16, 2009

That early Rice Krispies commercial... was that Fleischer Studios?
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 4:23 PM on January 16, 2009

Fruit Islands Cereal. Crank up the subwoofer, Baby, it's all about King Ayummayumma.
posted by cashman at 4:26 PM on January 16, 2009

Don't forget H. P. Lovecraft's Myth*Os
posted by gurple at 4:36 PM on January 16, 2009

Don't forget Crispy Critters - The one and only cereal that comes in the shape of animals!
posted by tommasz at 4:36 PM on January 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

God damn I love cereal.

* single tear *
posted by everichon at 4:37 PM on January 16, 2009

This is great. Thanks, pup.
posted by box at 4:47 PM on January 16, 2009

A great post, but not quite complete without mentioning "Linus the Lionhearted", the half-hour cereal commercial.

Oh, and I love this commercial from ca. 1980 for the entire Kellogg's family.
posted by evilcolonel at 4:59 PM on January 16, 2009

This is awesome, but any definitive list of cereal commercials from the 1970s must include the Freakies.

To repeat, a cereal called Freakies

(Warning, theme song earworm ahead)
posted by jeremias at 5:41 PM on January 16, 2009

Great "Post" (not Kelloggs). The better older commercials manage to hold your attention for the whole minute. OK, you couldn't change channels without getting up, and there weren't many to change to, but still: that moment when the snap crackle pop song went into the three part round was worth waiting for.
posted by cogneuro at 5:45 PM on January 16, 2009

We interrupt this broadcast with a special service announcement from Neal Stephenson.

the essence of the Cap'n Crunch experience

Now back to your regularly scheduled fucking awesome fpp.
posted by mannequito at 5:46 PM on January 16, 2009

Fantastic post! What a ton of work this took! I'm in old time TV heaven. Thanks!
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 6:05 PM on January 16, 2009

Ah, yes: Quisp and his "longtime companion" Quake. They were...inseparable.
posted by gimonca at 6:12 PM on January 16, 2009

Of course, little chocolate donuts have been on my training table since I was a kid.
posted by gimonca at 6:32 PM on January 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love how some of the older commercials refer to the "energy" in their cereals.

energy = SUGAR!
posted by orme at 6:38 PM on January 16, 2009

I was basically wiki-ing YouTube one day from The Electric Company to Hubley Studios to this Maypo commercials from the 50s. Mark Hubley's voice (and I'm sure he's in his 50s now) was adorable.
posted by droplet at 6:50 PM on January 16, 2009

Admiral Crunch? Archduke Chocula?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:52 PM on January 16, 2009

I was looking at the modern cereal boxes recently. All the characters look like they're on some serious meth.

It's getting better... early last year and this year General Mills rolled out "retro" cartons as a a promo with selected retail partners. Supposedly the more simple designs really sold well, probably because they contrast greatly with the standard retail cartons. Frankly I'd love to see the brand characters dialed-up back to clean illustrations instead of 3D renders.

Disclosure: I work for General Mills' prepress vendor.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:09 PM on January 16, 2009

Don't forget -

Lucky Charms (they're magically delicious!)
Trix
posted by Miko at 8:13 PM on January 16, 2009

Nice. My friend was in a Fruity Pebbles commercial when we were kids. Would have been late 80s. It's the one where the family is fishing and they catch a cartoon sea monster. I've searched for it a few times, but no luck, all the ones on the tube seem to be completely cartoon. If anyone ever comes across it, let me know.
posted by yellowbinder at 8:34 PM on January 16, 2009

Hey, that 1990s Frosted Flakes commercial stars Bailey from Party Of Five (Scott Wolf)!
posted by Mael Oui at 8:41 PM on January 16, 2009

Great post! Gotta love the jazz trio; Medeski Martin & Wood got nothin' on Snap Crackle & Pop.
posted by languagehat at 6:02 AM on January 17, 2009

This list is incomplete. It completely omits Cookie Crisp. 1984, I think.

Also, a cereal I never ate, but had the song stuck in my head even to this day is the 1982 version of blueberry Waffelos with Waffelo Bill! There's a 1980 version, too.

Now git along little blueberry critters, git along.
posted by JLobster at 8:59 AM on January 21, 2009

Wow, that Grape Nuts commercial sounds like it could have come straight out of South Park.
posted by not_on_display at 5:18 PM on January 31, 2009