# Why are cereal commercials so bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302 "2004-10-26T21:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/1 "2004-10-26T21:03:41Z")
The Title: is all I’ve got to say … why are cereal commercials on television, at least in the United States, so gawdawful compared to commercials advertising other goods and services? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/2 "2004-10-26T21:07:35Z")
Because they’re targeted at children. They’re no worse than any other commercials directed primarily at children, like toy commercials, Ronald-McDonald-themed McDonald’s commercials, etc. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/3 "2004-10-26T21:10:58Z")
Not all of them. Do you picture kids jumping with joy at the sight of the “Great Taste Low Cholesterol Supermarket?” ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/4 "2004-10-26T21:12:15Z")
It’s not just cereal, though, it’s all household staples. When have you ever seen an interesting or entertaining ad for detergent, toothpaste, paper towels, bleach, any supermarket foods, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/5 "2004-10-26T22:22:21Z")
All I have to say is, the Trix Rabbit and Lucky the Leprechaun have both gone **way** down hill in the last decade or so. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/6 "2004-10-27T17:07:40Z")
What exactly do you mean by “bad”? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/7 "2004-10-28T00:11:59Z")
What could any advertisement do for breakfast cereal? Most of them were established decades ago, and the major brand names dominate the market. I think they have commercials to announce any new freebies inside the box, or just to remind people that the brand still exists. Anything more isn’t a cost-effective use of advertising budget. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/8 "2004-10-28T00:29:02Z")
Kix. Sux. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/9 "2004-10-28T04:43:53Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Kix. > > Sux. Not the Berry Berry Kix. Regular Kix are okay. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/10 "2004-10-28T05:42:07Z")
Bad? They’re G-R-R-R-R-R-R-REAT! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/11 "2004-10-28T06:07:27Z")
No grapes. No nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/12 "2004-10-28T06:24:25Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Not the Berry Berry Kix. They can only get away with that because kids never heard of beri-beri. Not too much beri-beri in this part of the world. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/13 "2004-10-28T07:09:11Z")
I think **Lumpy** has the right ides. They’re _commercials_ for _cereal_. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/14 "2004-10-28T08:50:12Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Kix. > > Sux. No way, Kix are great. Trix sux. Who the hell came up with _lemon_-flavored cereal? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/15 "2004-10-28T14:10:11Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > What could any advertisement do for breakfast cereal? Most of them were established decades ago, and the major brand names dominate the market. I think they have commercials to announce any new freebies inside the box, or just to remind people that the brand still exists. Anything more isn’t a cost-effective use of advertising budget. Like someone said, they’re marketed to kids. What difference does it make to a 3-year-old that the brand has been around since the 50’s? They have to constantly market to capture the constant flow of kids who just starting to become susceptible to advertising. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/16 "2004-10-28T19:32:18Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > No grapes. No nuts. Grape Nuts. Or as CW Post referred to them in his booklet he would put in each box, “the road to Wellville”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/17 "2004-10-28T21:08:51Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > No way, Kix are great. Trix sux. Who the hell came up with _lemon_-flavored cereal? I was referring to the commercials. I’ve never had the cereal. ---
**Author:** ![Waccoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Waccoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waccoe)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cereal-commercials-so-bad/271302/18 "2004-10-28T21:18:44Z")
The cereal companies, ie Kellogg’s and General Mills, are extremely conservative cultures. It’s a mid west mentality. They are out there near the prairies …Kellogg’s is in Battle Creek Michigan. On top of that, food companies in general tend to be more conservative than most. They have been doing it a long time and the market research methods by which they pre-test their commercials are old and dusty. This also means that their advertising agencies tend to be relatively conservative. Fresh, bright young copywriters do not want to work on the Cheerios account. They’d rather be on Apple computers or Nike. So you can see it’s all very self-reinforcing in a number of ways. You will find the occasional good cereal commercial elsewhere in the world from a small local company.