I just saw the most horrible TV commercial! It features two African American actresses portraying a mother and young daughter. They are in a nice kitchen and they are having breakfast. The little girl says something about "being the mom" and they pour some cereal and milk in a bowl, all the while laughing about some inside joke...it's not apparent to me what.
The spot is in black and white, except for the cereal box and the cereal in the bowl. This is such a contrived technique, I don't really know why they are doing it - unless the folks at Rice Krispies are just plain blatant racists.
You see, the differences between white people and black people are totally minimized when you take the color out of the photography. This is obvious. So by casting African American actors, Rice Krispies can claim they are color blind. But by taking the color out of the commercial, they totally undo this lame attempt at being a modern, liberated, equal-opportunity marketer.
It's also very apparent that there is no "dad" in the commercial. Despite her nice, middle-American kitchen, the mom is obviously raising her daughter on her own. I can only image the discussions this created at the ad agency and in the halls of Kellogg's corporate headquarters. What a disgusting stereotype!
Lastly, and this is the main reason this commercial totally sucks, they end the commercial with "Happy Mother's Day." What the hell does does eating a breakfast of Rice Krispies have to do with Mother's Day? A bit of a pathetic stretch, wouldn't you say? Poor Kellogg's must be feeling left out of this "holiday" so they spent a ton of money to run a racist, ineffective television commercial in prime time.
The spot is in black and white, except for the cereal box and the cereal in the bowl. This is such a contrived technique, I don't really know why they are doing it - unless the folks at Rice Krispies are just plain blatant racists.
You see, the differences between white people and black people are totally minimized when you take the color out of the photography. This is obvious. So by casting African American actors, Rice Krispies can claim they are color blind. But by taking the color out of the commercial, they totally undo this lame attempt at being a modern, liberated, equal-opportunity marketer.
It's also very apparent that there is no "dad" in the commercial. Despite her nice, middle-American kitchen, the mom is obviously raising her daughter on her own. I can only image the discussions this created at the ad agency and in the halls of Kellogg's corporate headquarters. What a disgusting stereotype!
Lastly, and this is the main reason this commercial totally sucks, they end the commercial with "Happy Mother's Day." What the hell does does eating a breakfast of Rice Krispies have to do with Mother's Day? A bit of a pathetic stretch, wouldn't you say? Poor Kellogg's must be feeling left out of this "holiday" so they spent a ton of money to run a racist, ineffective television commercial in prime time.
And, oh yeah, what about "Snap, Crackle, Pop"? This is only one of the oldest and most recognizeable brand icons in the world. Why abandon what everyone things of when you mention your product's name? This is just stupid. Most marketers would kill to obtain this level of universal brand recognition. Can't you hear the tune in your head? "Snap, Crackle, Pop - Rice Krispies!"
Yes, marketers are idiots. Especially cereal marketers in Battle Creek.
Yes, marketers are idiots. Especially cereal marketers in Battle Creek.
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