1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,519 Speaker 1: Guess what will what's that mango? So at our first 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: week in college, I remember being in line for breakfast 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: and and there was just this wall of amazing breakfast cereals, 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: remember this, And we were of course away from our 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: parents for the first time and being independent and responsible, 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: and so I piled my bowl high with Lucky Charms. 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it was Lucky Charms, but whatever 8 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: was the most nutritious cereal out there. I love that 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: when you were finally like free from the overside of 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: your parents, like that was the first thing you did 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: to express your freedom, was like, get a big bowl 12 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: of cereal. But yes, I do remember that big, awesome 13 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: wall of cereal. Yeah, and the people we were with 14 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: started making fun of me for eating a kid cereal 15 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: instead of musically or whatever. And then right then the 16 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 1: star basketball recruit Eldon Brand walked up and got a 17 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: bowl of the same thing, and it was just pure 18 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: silent and I felt like such a trend setter. And 19 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: I remember that that's when you became the most popular 20 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: kid on campus. And not really but part of the 21 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: reason I love breakfast cereals so much. And you know, 22 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: we used to have big cereal old parties in metal 23 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: flaws where everyone would bring a box of their favorite cereal. 24 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: But uh, there's just such a wonderful association with childhood 25 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: and Saturday Morning cartoons, and that's actually why we're talking 26 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: about cereal today. Let's dig in today their podcast listeners, 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and as 28 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: always I'm joined by my good friend Man Guesh Ticketer 29 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: and the man on the other side of the soundproof 30 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: glass eating a big bowl of frosted many weeks good 31 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: choice today as our producer, Tristan McNeil. But today we're 32 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: heading back to the grocery all for a closer look 33 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: at all things cereal, you know, the most whimsical or 34 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: nutritionally questionable at all of this, at every part of 35 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: a complete breakfast. And so we'll dig into the weird 36 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: stories and surp rising facts behind our favorite brands, as 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: well as a few of the lesser known breakfast cereals 38 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: that time forgot. And then a little bit later we'll 39 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: be joined by Gay Fonseca. He's a TV writer and 40 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: he's spent more than a decade collecting childhood nostalgia in 41 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: the form of vintage cereal boxes. It's a fascinating collection. Yeah, 42 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: and he's also the host of this really fun YouTube 43 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: series called cereal Time, which is the series on the 44 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: subject of breakfast cereal. I mean, he's been doing it 45 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: for a couple of years now, so I'm super excited 46 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: to just hear how he got started. Yeah. Well, well, 47 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: Gabs among the most devout of serial enthusiasts, but he's 48 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: definitely not alone in this. I mean, lots of people 49 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: love cereals, and in the hundred and fifty plus years 50 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: since it came onto the market, cold breakfast cereal has 51 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: become a staple for millions of people around the world. 52 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: And you know, strangely, this love affair got its start 53 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: in the late nineteenth century kind of as an accident. 54 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: You know, it was this invention of fundamentalist Christians who 55 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: were seeking to promote a healthy, sin free lifestyle. And 56 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: much of this is you know, stories that people have heard, 57 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: but it's still pretty interesting that the bland foods, as 58 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: you know, like toasted corn and oats, where they were 59 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: thought to help suppress sexual urges and prevent arousal. And 60 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: so this thinking led to the creation of a few 61 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: notable foods including Graham Crackers, of course, but the one 62 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: that really caught on what the public was sereal. So 63 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: Dr John Harvey Kellogg, the superintendent of a sanitarium in 64 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: Battle Creek, Michigan, and his younger brother Well, they stumbled 65 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: upon the recipe for what would ultimately become corn flakes. 66 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: After allowing some of the cooked wheat to sit out 67 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: for too long, the Kellogg's returned to find the wheat 68 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: had gone stale, but rather than toss it out as 69 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: you might think they would, they decided to roll it 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: out into thin flakes and then toast them. And the 71 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: corn flakes were a big hit with their patients, so 72 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: the Kelloggs decided to start marketing them to a broader public. Yeah, 73 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: and as interesting as that early history is, it's pretty 74 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: familiar by this point. So instead of going deep on 75 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: sanitariums and grape nuts, we're gonna focus mostly on the 76 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: second act of the serial story. That's the period from 77 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: about nine to the early nine is when marketing to 78 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: children really took off and sugary cereals really began flooding 79 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: grocery store aisles. Well, before we dive into that colorful history, 80 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: I thought we could take a quick look at the 81 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: state of cereal today, you know, just by the numbers, 82 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: and it's amazing how far cereal has come from its 83 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: early years as this niche product to the mammoth industry 84 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: that it is now. So just looking at the US 85 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: market alone, the breakfast cereal industry now generates nearly ten 86 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: billion dollars in annual revenue. And that that's according to 87 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: mord Or Intelligence. Did you say word or intelligent hobbit? 88 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: It's kind of a jarring name if you're a Lord 89 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: of the Rings fan, But it's just the coincidence, unfortunately. 90 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: But like I was saying, Americans lead the world and 91 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: serial consumption. It ranks fourth on the list of the 92 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: top ten package goods sold in the US, and of 93 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: American households by a box of cereal at least once 94 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: a year. And we're not the only ones who love it. Canada, 95 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: the UK, Australia, they all have sereal markets that rival 96 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: the size of our own, and in recent years, cereal 97 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: has also gained in places like China and India and Brazil. 98 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: In fact, the breakfast cereal marketing industry rakes in about 99 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 1: thirty five billion dollars in revenue each year from the 100 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: foreign markets. So when I took my kids to India 101 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: last year, I remember waking up jet lag the first 102 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: day and they were already up watching cartoons and we're 103 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: wired on a bowl of chocos. We didn't have chacos 104 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: in all my years ago in India though, we never 105 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: ate breakfast cereals and we never ate in front the TV. 106 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: So it was almost jarring to see this American experience 107 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: transplanted to India. But you know, sugar and grain is 108 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: obviously this winning combination. But I have seen a few 109 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: reports about sagging sales as more and more people opt for, 110 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: you know, either easier or healthier breakfast options, so pop 111 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: tarts or avocado toast, or you know, maybe a quick 112 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: trip to the drive through on the way to work. 113 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: And and of course there's this growing segment of the 114 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: population that just doesn't eat breakfast period. So when you 115 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: were listing those easier and healthier options and you said 116 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: pop tarts, which one of them, I'm guessing that's the 117 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: easier option there, but they are delicious. Well. As big 118 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: as the cereal industry is today, there's no question that 119 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: it used to be bigger. So according to NPR, serial 120 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 1: consumption peaked right around ninete I guess it was, and 121 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: has steadily gone downhill ever since, generally by a full 122 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: percentage point each year. And while the stuff you mentioned 123 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: is definitely played a part in that decline, it's really 124 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: due to a combination of factors. You know. For example, 125 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: back in lawmakers passed the Nutrition and Labeling Education Act, 126 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: and that made it mandatory for all products to include 127 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: the now commonplace list of nutrition facts on the packaging. 128 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: And this made it easier than ever for consumers to 129 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: see the nutritional value or lack thereof, I guess, and 130 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: they could look at this and all of their cereals 131 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: now at this point, and as more people became educated 132 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,679 Speaker 1: about just how much sugar and carbs they were eating 133 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: or feeding to their kids, you know, they started to 134 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,559 Speaker 1: think twice before tossing a box in the car whenever 135 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: they're with grocery store. So I looked into just how 136 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: sugary cere it can be, and it's insane, Like the 137 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: whole cereal industry uses around eight hundred sixty million pounds 138 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: of sugar in its products every year, and apparently most 139 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: of that's going into honey smacks, you know, for some reason, 140 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: you don't know out there, that's the one with the 141 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: cool frog wearing the backwards baseball cap on the box. 142 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: I thought you were talking to me for a second, 143 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: was like, I know, honey Smacks mango, Come on, well, 144 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: honey Smacks is consistently ranked the worst cereal for your 145 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: health because it has less than two grams of fiber 146 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: per serving and its ingredients breakdown to almost sixty percent sugar. 147 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: It's tasty, but according to the Environmental and Working Group, 148 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: there's more sugar in one cup serving of honey Smacks 149 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: than there Isn't a Hostess twinkie, no way. And I 150 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: know that it is sweet, obviously, and I knew it 151 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: wasn't good for you, But honestly, like the taste of 152 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: honey Smacks, I wouldn't have guessed it was the most 153 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: sugary cereal. But it kind of makes my teeth are 154 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: just thinking about that. But you know that that sugar 155 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: to fiber ratio might make us cringe. But there's one 156 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: particular serial eleating demographic that you're not going to hear 157 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: complaining about this, and that's kids, or at least my kids. Yeah, 158 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: my kids. To actually do you Remember there was this 159 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: great Calvin and Hobbs where Calvin's eating his favorite cereal. 160 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: I think it's something like chocolate frostage sugar bombs, and 161 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: he gives Hobbs to try, and Hobbs just starts shaking, 162 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: gagging from the sweetness, and Calvin says, actually they're kind 163 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: of bland until he scooped some sugar on. But what 164 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: I find really interesting is how deeply ingrained the fondness 165 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: for breakfast cereal is and so many people, and how 166 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: so much of that seems rooted in their childhood. Yeah. 167 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: I mean, i'd say for most adults serial leaders, it's 168 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: a big part of the allure. I mean, it's what 169 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: you were saying about your kids. There's these memories of 170 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: watching Saturday morning cartoons with a big bowl of Captain 171 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: Crunch in your hand, or maybe indulging in a late 172 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: night fix of Lucky Charms sitting in your college dorm. 173 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: I don't know who you're talking about, right, Well, it's 174 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: sort of a comfort food in a way. I mean, 175 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: it takes us back to simpler days when most of 176 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: us were a little more carefree about what we ate 177 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: and why. Yeah, So in nostalgia is definitely a strong factor. Actually, well, 178 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: what are some of the weirdest discontinued cereals you can 179 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: think of? I was trying to think about this earlier, 180 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: and I remember seeing cuber cereal when I was a kid. 181 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: Do you remember Cuberta that video game character, and and 182 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,719 Speaker 1: also eating one with smurfberries? Like my parents only really 183 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: bought a sugar Cereals for maybe a year or two, 184 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: but I remember sampling some weird ones. Yeah, I mean 185 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: I always thought it was completely bonkers that some cereals 186 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: didn't even mask the fact that they were candy, Like 187 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, Kellogg's did a candy corn Pops. But even 188 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: more blatant than that, there was a Nerds Cereal and 189 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: I'm ticked off that I never tried it. Nerds Cereal. 190 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: By the way, listeners, I just wanted to break for 191 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: a second because Will and I have been debating what 192 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: the official candy of Part Time Genius should be, and 193 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: Will was saying it should be atomic fireballs, and I 194 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: was thinking Nerds. So if you have any thoughts on this, 195 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: please let us know on Facebook or Twitter. But well, 196 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: you're right, Nerds Cereal is insane. But looking back, like 197 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: the box was so cool. It came in these two flavors, 198 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: just like the candies, and you could pour orange out 199 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: of one side and cherry out of the other. Can 200 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: you imagine, Like, who would let their kids buy this? Probably? 201 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: It also makes me wonder like if so much a 202 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: serials appeal is rooted in the past, Like, what does 203 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: this say about our future? Well, you know, there's a 204 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: new generation of kids getting hooked on cereal now, and 205 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: many of them will stick with it into adulthood. And 206 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: that's part of the reason there's so many brands duking 207 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: it out, you know, trying to get kids to eat 208 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: these cereal is because people's breakfast routines tend to be 209 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: the same, you know, pretty much every day. But there's 210 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: another point to consider, and those declining sales numbers we 211 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier also coincide with declining birth rate, So you know, 212 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: it's it's not like the birthrate will ever drop to 213 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: zero or anything like that, but fewer kids does result 214 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: than fewer cereal fans, obviously. Yeah, It's it's funny that 215 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: something that started out as health food became so dependent 216 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: on selling sugar to kids, but I guess that's usually 217 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: how it goes with food trends, like someone with these 218 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: very altruistic intentions gets the ball rolling, hoping to better society, 219 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: and and then you know, at a certain point, the 220 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: marketing team steps in write exactly Yeah. Dr Kellogg used 221 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: to give lectures about his methods for leading a healthy lifestyle, 222 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: and he would sometimes give out the recipes for his 223 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: corn flax so that people could make them at home. 224 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: And at one talk he told the crowd, you may 225 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: say I'm destroying the health food business here by giving 226 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: these recipes, but I'm not after the business. I'm after reform. 227 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: I mean, he really did seem to believe and what 228 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: he was selling, sure, but the problem was that the 229 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: same couldn't be said of his brother, Will Kellogg. And 230 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 1: and Will try for years to convince his brother to 231 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 1: add sugar to their cereal, believing it would add some 232 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: flavor to what he called horse food. But the tipping 233 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: point came into late forties when their competitor Post Cereals 234 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: released Sugar Crisp, so Posted branched out beyond the health 235 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: food market with its first sugarcoated cereal, and like it 236 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: or not, Kellog kind of had to follow his suit. Yeah, 237 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: but it's really post World War Two that the industry 238 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: started to focus on marketing directly to kids. I mean, 239 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: companies had dabbled with these ads before, including Kellogg's use 240 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: of Snap, Crackle and Pop as the characters for Rice Crispies, 241 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: and that marketing began in the nineteen thirties. But even 242 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: with cartoon gnomes pleading their case, you know, the these 243 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: highly processed oats and grains were a tough sell without 244 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: adding something, you know, sweet to it. That's crazy though, 245 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: I like, I had no idea that the Rice Christie's 246 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: trio had been around that long. I thought they were 247 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: post fifties like most other cereal mascots. Yeah, Snap Crackling 248 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: Pop are actually one of the longest running ad campaigns 249 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: in history, and as I was looking up at that, 250 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,719 Speaker 1: they're actually the longest for Cereal brands. Actually, by the way, 251 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: did you know that their names are on amount of 252 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: pia sounds for what you hear when milk is added 253 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: to the cereal. But apparently Rice Crispies were always marketed 254 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: as the cereal you can hear, and this was even 255 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: before the mascots came along. In fact, the guy who 256 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: created the characters did so after being inspired by one 257 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: of the brand's previous radio jingles. Because I know you're 258 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: dying to know what it was. Here the lyrics, I 259 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: jotted them down, So all right, listen to the fairy 260 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: song of help the Mary Corus, sung by Kelloggs Rice 261 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: Crispi as they merrily snap, crackle and pop in a 262 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: bowl of milk. If you've never heard food talking, now 263 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: is your chance. I'm so hungry for a bowl of 264 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: cereal now, why didn't we do this before? And also 265 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: that was a jingle like it doesn't even rive. I 266 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: was I was gonna put it to song that I 267 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: just made up against it. So, I mean, obviously mascots 268 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: were a smart move, since it's hard to market like 269 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 1: a fairy song of health without them. But wasn't there 270 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: also a fourth gnome for a while, Yeah, you bet 271 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: there was pal He stood for the Cereals nutritional punch, 272 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: I think, And of course he didn't last very long. 273 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: But let's get this back on track. So gradually the 274 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: Sweden Cereals come to dominate the market, thanks, you know, 275 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: because of product placement and children's programming, and they've never 276 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: looked back since. And in fact, the breakfast cereal industry 277 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: is still one of the top spenders for a commercial 278 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: air time. More than a million Cereal ads air on 279 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 1: TV each year, which cost companies like Post and Kellogg's 280 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: more than I want to say, like half a billion dollars. Yeah, 281 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: well so, so all those old TV ads are a 282 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: big part of why cold Cereal took such a hold 283 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: in the hearts and minds of baby boomers, and then 284 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: they of course passed on that fondness to their now 285 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: adult children. But you know, there's another element that helped 286 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: in dear entire generations to breakfast Cereal that I want 287 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: to talk about it, and that's the prizes that came 288 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: packed inside those boxes. I mean, the prizes played such 289 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: a big role. Like I might have wanted a box 290 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: of Cookie Crisp, but if the Apple Jacks had one 291 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: of those wacky wall walkers in it. I mean, you 292 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: remember those sticky octopuses that were walked down the wall 293 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: of course, Yeah, and then of course that's the box 294 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: I'd end up with. Yeah, I mean, I'm with you 295 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: on that. Actually I would buy a box of Cereal 296 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: for one of those. Now it's been years since I played, 297 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: and they were awesome, but you know, let's talk a 298 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: little bit about how toys and games ended up inside 299 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: the boxes, as well as some of the coolest and 300 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: strangest ones to come along over the years. But before 301 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: we do that, let's break for a quiz. They've got 302 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: Gabe Fon Sica on the program now. Gabs an accomplished 303 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: TV writer, but he's also got the best unboxing series 304 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: on YouTube. It's called Serial Time TV, and this is 305 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: where he unboxes and reviews incredible breakfast cereals. Welcome to 306 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius, Gabe. Thanks for having me. I'm I'm 307 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: a fan of the podcast, so I'm honored to be 308 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: on the show. Thank you so much. Now, I know 309 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: you're out in Los Angeles. Man Guesh is actually on 310 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: vacation today. He's out on your coast in Portland's so 311 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: he sends his best but but I hope you're still 312 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: willing to chat with me today, of course, of course. 313 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: All right now, so okay, we've read that you have 314 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: over three hundred cereal boxes in your collection, and I 315 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: have to ask, like, how did you get into this 316 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: in the first place, and what are some of your 317 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: more prized cereal boxes. You know, I've always been a collector, 318 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: and I think at one point I saw Old Spider Man, 319 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: so I think that was my first box. Um it 320 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: was from zero and I saw it on eBay when 321 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: I was just browsing, and I was like, that'd be 322 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: cool to have on my bookshelf, and I bought it 323 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: and then uh, and then I was like, well, you 324 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: know what, there are some other ones that I remember 325 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: from back in the day, and and then it kind 326 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: of just turned into this black hole on eBay where 327 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: I just was was scouring and finding old cereals that 328 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: brought back to these nostalgic memories to me. Wow. Wow, 329 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: now I think I've read that you've tried some even 330 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: some like thirty year old cereals. Is this right? Yeah? Yeah. 331 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: When I first started this un boxing channel on YouTube, 332 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: and I started it because I started to run out 333 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: of room of just having these unopened cereal boxes on 334 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: my shelf and it was like, you know, this is 335 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: just taking up space and this is kind of silly. 336 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: I could just flatten them out, so I I decided like, well, 337 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: let's for posterity, let's just record myself opening these boxes 338 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: and and you know, recording with the cereal looks like 339 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: and documenting it so I'll have it, you know, for posterity, 340 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: and uh, and I never thought I was like going 341 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: to try him, and then I'd opened some boxes and uh, 342 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: I'd be like, well, let me just see if it 343 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: holds up. I think the oldest one I might have 344 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: tried was a grim smiles giggles and last cereal, which 345 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: was from the seventies I believe, and it was pretty grass. 346 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: I'm guessing, Oh man, they're terrible. They just don't you know. 347 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: It tastes mostly like it tastes like the plastic in 348 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: a way. It takes very toxic and disgusting. But I 349 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: would I definitely do not recommend it. I can't imagine now. 350 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: And in terms of yereals, are there any that you 351 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: wish you could have tasted if you could go back 352 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: in time? Yeah? Absolutely, There's one from before my time 353 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: in the seventies called It's a Great Fellow. It was actually, 354 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 1: um they released a Great Fellow and Baron von red Berry. 355 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 1: There were General Mills cereals and uh, this is a 356 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: Great Fellow. One tasted like you know, grape, the grape 357 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 1: cereal or grape kool aid. I imagine I never actually 358 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: got to try it, but I'm a I'm a sucker 359 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: for great flavored things. And uh and even though I 360 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: got a nerd cereal which came out in the eighties, 361 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 1: which I which I got to try back and back then, 362 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: I it just wasn't the same, you know, it wasn't 363 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: it wasn't that great great flavor. It was kind of 364 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: it wasn't a great cereal. And sir, great fellow, just 365 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: just like I look at the ad campaigns I see 366 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: on YouTube and I'm just like this, this was like, 367 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: this is great. I really wish I was alive for 368 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: this one. I could I could try that one. Yeah, yeah, Now, 369 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: how about any boxes you'd love to add to your 370 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 1: collection but haven't been able to get a hold of 371 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: For me, I I kind of at this point, I 372 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: feel like I'm at peace and I've kind of completed 373 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: my collection and kind of everything I want. There is 374 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: one really random cereal from General Mills in the nineties. 375 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: It was called Buen You Litos, and I remember it. 376 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: It was on shelves for a limited time and I 377 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,120 Speaker 1: just can't find a box of that anywhere. And that's 378 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: probably like the last you know, my great you know, 379 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: white whale that I'm trying to obtain. Still, I don't know, Gabe. 380 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: I'm hearing in your voice that maybe you're not quite 381 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: at piece yet until you find that. So off, if if, 382 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: if any of our listeners out there know how to 383 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: get a hold of some did you say buenolitos? Yes, 384 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: all right, we'll see what we can do for you. 385 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: So there'll be a free part time genius t shirt 386 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: on the line for these people. But but before we 387 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 1: let you go, Mango did leave me a quiz titled 388 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: the most Important Meal Quiz of the Day. So I'm 389 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 1: gonna ask you a few questions if you obscure serial 390 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:45,919 Speaker 1: questions and all you gotta do is answer them. How 391 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: does that sounds? All right? I'll give it my best, alright? 392 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: Question number one. According to a nineteen fifty six confidential 393 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: magazine report, what Breakfast Cereal was supposedly responsible for Frank 394 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: Sinatra's success with women. It's got it is wheaties. Yeah. 395 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: The article claimed that Sinatra could thank wheaties for his 396 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: reputation as the quote Tarzan of the Boudoir. So yes, 397 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: congratulations there, alright? One for one. Question number two. Before 398 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: a certain tiger became spokes animal for this breakfast cereal. 399 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: He had to beat out three other contenders, Elmo the Elephant, 400 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: Newt the new and Katie the Kangaroo. What cereal are 401 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: we talking about? Frosted flakes? That's right, it's frosted flakes. Now. 402 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: Katie actually appeared on boxes in the nineteen fifties before 403 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: Tony the Tiger started out selling her. All Right, here 404 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 1: we go question number three. What popular breakfast cereal created 405 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: by John Harvey Kellogg was eating aboard the Apollo eleven 406 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: cereal Rice Christie. It's a pretty good guess. It was 407 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: actually Kellogg's corn flakes, and so the cereal was mixed 408 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: up with fruit and formed into cubes, since eating it 409 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: with milk was impossible without gravity. Alright, two for three 410 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: the last question here the big prize is on the line. 411 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: While Saddam Hussein loved Raisin brand and requested it for 412 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: breakfast in prison, he detested this cereal. Oh, I actually 413 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: read the article about that fruit. Yes, it is fruit 414 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 1: looks and according to US soldiers, one of the few 415 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: times he actually looked defeated in prison was when a 416 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: bowl of the fruity cereal was brought to him. But 417 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: so congratulations, you got three out of four, which qualifies 418 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 1: you for our top prize, which is a note to 419 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: your mom or your boss singing your praises. So, Gabe, 420 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 1: congratulations and thanks so much for joining us on Part 421 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: Time Genius. Well thanks for having me. Well it's been 422 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:51,719 Speaker 1: it's great. Thank you very much. You're listening to Part 423 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: Time Genius and we're talking about the heyday of breakfast cereal. 424 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: You know, when kids became the target market and nutrition 425 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: kind of took a backseat to things like marshmallows and prizes, 426 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: and you know, speaking of cereal box prizes, you know, 427 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: those were another way that Kelloggs tried to attract kids 428 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: to cereal in the pre sugar days and three, the 429 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: company started putting pen back buttons inside boxes of their 430 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: pep cereal. So they started with a series of thirty 431 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 1: six pins that featured World War Two squadron insignia from 432 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: the US military. And this was before switching over to 433 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:26,679 Speaker 1: fictional heroes like comic book characters. Yeah, so those are 434 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: some of the earliest inbox prizes we know about. But 435 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: if we're talking buttons, my favorites are the Urkel for 436 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: President campaign buttons. They were giving out during the Clinton 437 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: Bush Senior campaign. Do you remember those we're talking Steve 438 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: Erkel family that. I can't say I remember him running 439 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: for president? But what what cereal was that? Kels? Of course, 440 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: it was one of those short lived novelty cereals that 441 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: crops up for a few months and then disappears, Like 442 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: basically it was a sweeter version of cheerios, but wackier 443 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: with banana and strawberry flavors. But uh, obviously we're getting 444 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: ahead of ourselves with all these in the box because 445 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: Kellogg's actually got into the prize game long before that. 446 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: In the earlier days, the prizes, or premiums as they're 447 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 1: called in the industry, weren't in the box at all. 448 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 1: And as far as we know, the first prize used 449 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: to market cereal was this nineteen o nine children's book. 450 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: It was called The Funny Jungle Land Moving Pictures Book, 451 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: and it was given to customers who bought two boxes 452 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: of Kellogg's corn Flakes out they're participating grocery stores. After 453 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: a couple of years, of course, Kellogg's decided to stop 454 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: handing out the books on location. Instead offered them as 455 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: mail and offer, and within four years the company had 456 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: distributed two point five million copies of the book. Isn't 457 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: that insane? Like it was obviously a hit with customers, 458 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: so Kelloggs kept releasing new editions, and they kept going 459 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: on with jungle Land books all the way up until 460 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: ninety seven. I mean, I guess that's pretty cool. But 461 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: I have to say I was never a fan of 462 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 1: those mail in prizes. I mean, I was all about 463 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: the instant gratification. You don't want to dig in there, 464 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: like get elbow deep and some cocoa puffs or something 465 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: and then just be able to like fish around and 466 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: find that all of fane bag. Yeah, and then you 467 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: gotta eat the cereal dust off your arm. But those 468 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: were definitely the days. But I never really minded the 469 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 1: mail ins like. I think it was partly the joy 470 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: of receiving any kind of mail as a kid. The 471 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: fact that anyone was sending me anything was exciting enough, 472 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: even if I had to save up like a bunch 473 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: of box tops and wait six to eight weeks to 474 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: make it happen. Though that was mostly dying out by 475 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 1: the time we were kids. I only remember doing it 476 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: a few times. But you know that the real reason 477 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: the cereal industry stepped up its game, and the prize game, 478 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,400 Speaker 1: specifically in the nineteen fifties is pretty interesting and it's 479 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 1: it's thanks to this invention of what was called the 480 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: screw injection molding machine, and and that's what made plastic 481 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: prizes faster and cheaper to produce. And this wasn't the 482 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: only time the inventor of injection molding his name was 483 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: James Watson Henry would lend a hand to Cereal prizes. 484 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: So in the nineteen seventies, Henry's developed the first gas 485 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,439 Speaker 1: assisted injection molding process, and this is what made it 486 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: possible to produce these finally detailed hollow plastic objects, you know, 487 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: the ones that environmental group love so much. This cut 488 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: caused even more and paved the way to a golden 489 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,880 Speaker 1: age of these in box serial prizes. That explains why 490 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 1: so many of the cool prizes I found were from 491 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: the sixties and seventies. And and of course I'd be 492 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: remiss if we didn't mention the Boson's whistle that came 493 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: inside the box of Captain Crunch in the early seventies. 494 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: We're talking about things we'd be remiss not mentioning about 495 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 1: Captain Crunch. What about Gen Lafoote, which was Captain Crunch's stinky, 496 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: barefooted rival. But anyway, gone with your whistle story. Well, 497 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: obviously the whistle was this like really high pitched little whistle, 498 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: and the Boson's whistle was one that was historically used 499 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: on naval ships when commanders needed to pass orders to 500 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: the crew but couldn't be heard because of the waves 501 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: or weather or whatever. And these days it's mostly used 502 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: in naval ceremonies. But in Captain Crunch's case, it turned 503 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: out that when you covered one of the whistles holes 504 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 1: in blue, it produced this frequency of twenty hurts, which 505 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: was the exact tone a T and T used to 506 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: control its long distance lines. And basically, this legendary hacker, 507 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: John Thomas Drape, who was also known as Captain Crunch 508 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: or Crunch or crunch Man, he learned that he could 509 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: use one of the whistles to hack the phone system 510 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: and get free long distance calls. I love that they 511 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 1: figured that. It's why that old hacking magazine was actually 512 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: called hundred, and then why Steve Jobs and Steve Woznia 513 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,479 Speaker 1: even tracked down the whistle and built a box that 514 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: replicated the frequency to try and prank call the Pope. 515 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: I love that as I love that they pretended to 516 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: be Henry Kissinger. And it almost got there until this 517 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: like suspicious bishop caught on like and and then the 518 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: Pope didn't get on those pesky bishops. And you know, 519 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: while injection molding allowed for all kinds of awesome plastic toys, 520 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: you know, some of the funniest ones that came across 521 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: were actually even like metal, or some of them even paper. 522 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: Like in nineteen fifty four, Wheaties gave away these miniature 523 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: state license plates and they were made of solid steel, 524 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 1: and you got one in each box, but you could 525 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: also buy them in four sets of twelve by mailing 526 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 1: in a box top and a quarter a whopping quarter. 527 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: And that was the only hitch to this was that 528 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 1: Alaska and Hawaii had not yet become states, so there 529 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: were actually only forty eight plates and all man So 530 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: do you think people were like pissed when those two 531 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: states got statehood a few years later and suddenly their 532 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: collections were incomplete? Well, actually, Post Serials did release a 533 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 1: set of the full fifty later on, but apparently wed 534 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: still gets letters about the original campaign to this day. 535 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: So maybe there's still a few determined fans out there 536 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: just pestering them about their missing plates or something. I 537 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: hope so. But one of the most unique prizes I 538 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: read about was this paper prize. It was a deed 539 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: to one inch of land in the Yukon, so like 540 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: a serial company was giving away land by the inch. Yeah, 541 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 1: it's a great idea, right, So Quaker Oaths sponsored a 542 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 1: show in the fifties called Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. 543 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: You remember Sergeant President of the Yukon, And this was 544 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: their way of linking the show to the product and 545 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: full disclosure, this was a mail in prize, but this 546 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: one was totally worth the weight. So for just a 547 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: single box top kids would receive a deed for one 548 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: square inch at the nineteen acres of Yukon territory that 549 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: Quaker purchased, and they had actually purchased this from the 550 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: Canadian government for a thousand dollars. The promotion was this 551 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 1: massive success, and Quaker actually sent out more than twenty 552 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: one million deeds in just a few weeks away. Yeah, 553 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: and then lots of people would write the company or 554 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: even the Canadian government from time to time to check 555 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,919 Speaker 1: in on their property. But sadly the reply was not 556 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,120 Speaker 1: good news. Apparently none of the deed holders were actually 557 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: landowners because the individual deeds were never formally registered after 558 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,479 Speaker 1: the recipients signed them. Devastating, I know, and in the end, 559 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: Canada repossessed all the land in nineteen due to non 560 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: payment of get this, thirty seven dollars and twenty cents 561 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: in property taxes. I mean. It also reminds me of 562 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,880 Speaker 1: the time during the eighties when General Mills started giving 563 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: out actual one dollar bills as prizes and boxes of cherios, 564 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: which it just sounds kind of like lazy, like let's 565 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: let's just put a dollar in there, and except in 566 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: this case the prize was actually worth something. Yeah, and 567 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,199 Speaker 1: it's way better than the promotion Cheerios offered in the 568 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: fifties when they gave away color reper reductions of Confederate 569 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 1: money and an album to keep them in all. That's 570 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: so strange. I actually, I think I'd rather have the 571 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: phony d than But we sort of transition into these 572 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: more lackluster I don't know, dare I say, like crappy prizes, 573 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: but honestly, at least they're still prizes. And and much 574 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: like serial sales, serial premium seemed to be on the 575 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: decline these days. Yeah, so I noticed last time I 576 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: was in cerealisles there seemed to be fewer boxes advertising 577 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 1: physical prizes, but there were a bunch of boxes offering 578 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: some kind of digital prize, like access to an online 579 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: video game. And I I guess serial premiums changed to 580 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: reflect the times and and most kids these days would 581 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: prefer some type of like instant online entertainment over a 582 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: plastic figure. But I also read a report from the 583 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: Center for Science and the Public Interest. Then it determined 584 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: that it was far cheaper to make an online game 585 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: than to produce a traditional plastic premium, and that definitely 586 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: figures into the decision to scale back the physical prizes. Yeah, 587 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: I think you're right. And and not to mention that 588 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: there have been a few safety scares that lead to 589 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: recalls on mill lillions and millions of these plastic prizes 590 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 1: that were deemed choking hazards. And that's actually the reason 591 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: prizes were moved from the inside of the Cereal bag 592 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: itself to between the bag and the box lining. This 593 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: happened in the early nineties. Is you know Sereal companies 594 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: saw that this was kind of a risk or a 595 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: great risk if kids accidentally started gobbling up these prizes. 596 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:21,479 Speaker 1: It's it's funny because Crackerjack went through like a similar 597 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: adjustment with the prizes inside their boxes and concerns about 598 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 1: safety and rising cost of production. Next anything but paper prizes, 599 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: whereas they used to have really cool stuff, and they're 600 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: like Dakota rings and tin soldiers mixed in. And and 601 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: since Crackerjack was the first food to actually offer box 602 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: prizes way back in, it kind of seems fitting that 603 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: cereal premiums would follow suit. Yeah, I mean that's true. 604 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: But but but all is not lost for these in 605 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: the box cereal prizes. I mean there's still some physical 606 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: knickknacks sprinkled in there, but most of these are just 607 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: tie in with usually like big media events or maybe 608 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: movie releases. You know, the new Star Wars movie had 609 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: some of these accompany that. And besides, there's another serial 610 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: philosophy that suggests it's what's on the outside of the 611 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: box that matters, not the inside. Okay, mango, So we've 612 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: covered the actual cereal as well as the cool prizes 613 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: that you find inside the bag or just outside it. 614 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: So how about we conclude our anatomical tour of the 615 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: cereal box by focusing on the box itself. Yeah, that 616 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: sounds good, So I'll start us off with a little 617 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 1: cereal box psychology. Back in two thousand fourteen, researchers from 618 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,479 Speaker 1: the Cornell Food and Brand Lab study eighties six different 619 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: cereal box mascots and ten grocery stores throughout New York 620 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 1: in Connecticut. And from this whirlwind tour, they found that 621 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: boxes are strategically positioned to make eye contact with children. 622 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: On average, the kid targeted cereal boxes are placed on 623 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: the lower shelves, usually at a height of twenty three inches, 624 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: while adult aim cereals tend to sit higher at forty 625 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,959 Speaker 1: eight inch shelves. And UH to capitalize on this ideal, 626 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: like the mascots on the kids cereal boxes tend to 627 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: feature mascots with eyes pointing downward an average angle of 628 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: nine point six degrees, but the spokes characters on boxes 629 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: of adult cereal generally looks straight a head. Wow, that's 630 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: almost kind of creepy. So both the manufacturer and the 631 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: retailer in on this scheme, and and and they wanted 632 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: to make eye contact with their target markets. So why 633 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: is that? I mean, I understand wanting your product as 634 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: visible as possible so it attracts more attention, but why 635 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: is making eye contact with the character or the spokesperson 636 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: matter that much? Yeah? Well that was the question behind 637 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: a second study where researchers looked into how much eye 638 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: contact with Cereal box characters influences people's feelings towards the brand, 639 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: and they asked sixty three participants from a private Northeastern 640 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: university to examine a box of tricks Cereal and rate 641 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: their feelings of trust and connection to the brand. And 642 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: the catch was that some participants were given a box 643 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: where the tricks rabbit was looking straight ahead and others 644 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: had this box where the rabbit was looking away or 645 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: down from the view. And I'm guessing people preferred, you know, 646 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: whichever rabbit was looking their way or Yeah, but by 647 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: a wide margin. It's really incredible. So the finding showed 648 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: that participants who had eye contact with the rabbit felt 649 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: sixty percent more brand trust promos shilly rabbit, and their 650 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 1: feeling of connection to the brand was twenty eight percent 651 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: higher than participants who looked at a box of tricks 652 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: with the rabbit looking away. And not only that, were 653 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: participants who made eye contact with rabbit actually said they 654 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: enjoyed the serial more compared with another sereal that lacked 655 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 1: eye contact component. Oh way, I mean, that's so creepy, 656 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: like it's it's also notes that looking at the picture 657 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: of a cartoon rabbit in the eyes can generate so 658 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: much good will and actually cause us to buy the party, 659 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: and and the fact that they chose this crazy rabbit 660 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: that it works is just baffling. Yeah, but there is 661 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: an upside to the research because now healthy cereals that 662 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: are well intentioned can actually make mascots that do the 663 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: same thing. Yeah, but you know, I don't want to 664 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: leave this subject of tricks because actually I found some 665 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: interesting stuff during our research here. So for instance, did 666 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: you know that before he was an animated character the 667 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 1: Tricks rabbit was this really like Jankee looking hand puppet, 668 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: and I guess General Mills it was. You know, they 669 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: were unsure early on of how to sell the concept 670 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: of a serial of sessed rabbit because you know, the 671 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: original slogan for the serial was I'm a rabbit and 672 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: rabbits are supposed to like carrots, but I hate carrots. 673 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: I like tricks that really rolls off the tongue. Yeah. 674 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 1: And it also makes the whole silly Rabbit Tricks Are 675 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: for Kids campaign sound like poetry. Yeah. But that campaign 676 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: had problems of its own. I mean, for one thing, 677 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: it made General Mills worry that they were sending a 678 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,640 Speaker 1: bad message, you know, by having this rabbit continually failed 679 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: to achieve his goal. You know, but where Charles Schultz 680 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: concluded that Charlie Brown missing the football was what made 681 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: the whole thing work. General Mills took the more democratic 682 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: round in nineteen seventy six. They put this question to 683 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: a vote, should the tricks rabbit finally get to eat 684 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 1: the cereal? He craves and kids also turned out to 685 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: be more merciful than Schultza, so almost a hundred percent 686 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: of the votes were in favor of giving the rabbit 687 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: his long awaited bowl. And that same verdict came again 688 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: during a campaign I think it was in which was 689 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: the last time the rabbit got his own bowl of tricks? 690 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: That's been a long time. I mean, you can tell 691 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 1: why he's jonesing for a bowl. No kidding, I mean, 692 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: so these sereal mascots tend to break down into two camps. 693 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: So there's the more laid back, confident, relaxed characters like 694 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: Tony the Tiger or the Golden Crisp Bear, and they 695 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 1: mostly sell cereal on the basis of their friendly demeanor 696 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 1: and cool look. I mean, how cool is Tony know, 697 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:24,480 Speaker 1: bandana jacket awesome? You know. And then that's these unhinged 698 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 1: cereal junkies who looked like they just don't know, like 699 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: busted out of the looney bin. So these are your 700 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: tricks Rabbits and Sonny the Cuckoo Bird and like all 701 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: of these crazy characters. Yeah, those guys are pretty terrifying 702 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 1: and and most of their designs have only gotten more 703 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: over the top as time's gone by. What do you 704 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: mean by that? So too can Sam used to have 705 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 1: the proportions of an actual bird, but you know his body, shave, 706 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: wings and feet have slowly become more human like, and 707 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: and the colors too, like they're all super exaggerated and 708 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: brighter and bolder, and it's crazy. And actually, have you 709 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: seen Captain Crunch's latest look? Like he used to be 710 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: this old, weary he captain, but now he has these 711 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,320 Speaker 1: huge popping eyes and wide grin and even his eyebrows 712 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: have gotten more excited, like their way up over his hat. 713 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: Now his hat has eyebrows. It's very impressive. Well, I 714 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 1: mean there's always been something suspect about that guy anyway, 715 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: if we're being honest that did you hear the controversy 716 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:19,760 Speaker 1: a few years back somebody had noticed that the sleeves 717 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: of his uniform only had three yellow stripes instead of four. 718 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: I love that people are paying this close attention to it, 719 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: but apparently that pegs him as a commander in the Navy, 720 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: not a captain. So to his credit, when fans called 721 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,879 Speaker 1: him out, Crunch took to Twitter to plead his case. 722 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: And so here's what he said, all hearsay and misunderstandings. 723 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,439 Speaker 1: I captain the SS Guppy with my crew, which makes 724 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 1: an official captain in my book. Besides, it's the Crunch, 725 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 1: not the clothes that make a man. It almost gives 726 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 1: me goose. It's always been my belief that the facts 727 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 1: make the man. So I think it's time for a 728 00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: little fact off. All right, let's do it. I'll go 729 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 1: first here. So um alright, So, speaking of Captain Crunch, 730 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: did did you know that in two thousand nine, a 731 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 1: woman in California, filed a class action suit against the 732 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: maker of Captain Crunch's crunch berries. And she did this 733 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 1: because she said, for four long years she'd been eating 734 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 1: these crunch berries and thinking they were real fruit. I mean, 735 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 1: you know, you've got strawberries and blueberries, raspberries, and of 736 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,840 Speaker 1: course crunch berries. But of course the judge and Sacramento 737 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:32,759 Speaker 1: did not see it her way and quickly dismissed the suit. So, 738 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 1: according to one study commissioned by Kellogg, more than ten 739 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: percent of Americans had tried eating cereal with orange juice 740 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: or coffee instead of milk. I mean, is that true, Like, 741 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:44,280 Speaker 1: have you ever done that? I have never done that before. 742 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:48,399 Speaker 1: That would ruin a ball. No, absolutely not. All right, Well, 743 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: according to a different study, women who regularly ate cereal 744 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: before conception are slightly more likely to have boys. There's 745 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:58,080 Speaker 1: something about having a high energy intake before conceiving that 746 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,800 Speaker 1: leads to these greater odds, And the food that seemed 747 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: to increase the odds the most was cereal. That's crazy. 748 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:07,279 Speaker 1: So you're an oatmeal leader, right, well, I mean sometimes yeah, yeah, 749 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,320 Speaker 1: Well did you know that the quote strawberries and peaches 750 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: and quicker instant oatmeal are actually dehydrated apples, and the 751 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,239 Speaker 1: blueberries are dehydrated figs. And for a quicker sake, I 752 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: hope that the crunch Ferry Lady doesn't find out. But 753 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 1: at least the real fruits, that's true. They're real fruits, yeah, 754 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 1: unlike the crunchberries. So well, as kids, we always heard 755 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: that we should eat a good breakfast anytime we need 756 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: to do anything important that day, and studies do back 757 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: that up, often showing that breakfast eaters will perform about 758 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 1: ten better on memory tests than those who skipped. But 759 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:41,720 Speaker 1: it also appears that eating not just breakfast, but specifically 760 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: cereal leads to a better mood. So according to research 761 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: from Bristol University, there are long term effects of eating 762 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 1: cereal for breakfast, and their findings quote people feel better 763 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: cereals boosted their mood. So I mean that's just the 764 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 1: kind of support we needed as cereal leaders. And what 765 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 1: a happy way to end this episode. I'm gonna let 766 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: you take home the trophy this week, and listeners, if 767 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 1: there are any great serial facts we forgot, please let 768 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: us know. You can always write us at part time 769 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: genius at how stuff works dot com or call us 770 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 1: on our seven fact hotline Why eight for four pt Genius. 771 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,319 Speaker 1: You know we love hearing from you well, and don't 772 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: forget to join us again next week when we publish 773 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: episodes asking the questions how big is the US military 774 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 1: and what are the worst jobs in the world, including 775 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:28,080 Speaker 1: a peek into the important world of Wales not collecting. 776 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,479 Speaker 1: That's gonna be pretty interesting. Are you sure that's right? Yeah, 777 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: that's right. All right. Well, that's it for today's episode. 778 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:50,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, Thanks again for listening. Part Time Genius 779 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 1: is a production of how stuff works and wouldn't be 780 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 1: possible without several brilliant people who do the important things 781 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: we couldn't even begin to understand. Tristan McNeil does the 782 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,520 Speaker 1: editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme song and does 783 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 1: the mixy mixy sound thing. Gerry Roland does the exact 784 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:06,800 Speaker 1: producer thing. Gabe Louesier is our lead researcher, with support 785 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,640 Speaker 1: from the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and 786 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 1: Lucas Adams and Eve Jeff Cook gets the show to 787 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:14,319 Speaker 1: your ears. Good job, Eves. If you like what you heard, 788 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:16,400 Speaker 1: we hope you'll subscribe, and if you really really like 789 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,360 Speaker 1: what you've heard. Maybe you could leave a good review 790 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: for us. Do we do we forget Jason? Jason who