Who would have thought that 2024 would see not one but two big brand adverts that revolved around 3D animated poultry causing havoc on the high street?
KFC’s ‘Believe in Chicken’ campaign had a dark side to it, with the bird ostensibly being worshipped by zombie dancer presumably not aware that it was on the menu. In that case, the chicken looked real – it was the people who were weird. Kellogg’s is taking a different approach by bringing its Hulk-coloured cockerel heritage mascot Cornelius flapping into the modern era as a giant 3D kaiju.
Breakfast cereal is in crisis, apparently. Sales of big name products have been declining, not only because of alternative brands but also because of people skipping breakfast completely (blame intermittent fasting and GLP-2 products like Mounjaro and Ozempic).
Kellogg’s needs to remind people that breakfast is a good thing and that when it comes to that thing, it’s the ‘OG’. And it’s done that by bringing Cornelius off the Corn Flakes box once more and into the real world in vibrant 3D – kind of like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters, but less evil – I think.
The first See You in the Morning ad crafted by the advertising agency Leo Burnett sees old Cornelius strut to Jurassic 5’s Jayou as people go about their morning routines. The tagline tells us to “Start your day, your way.”
The animation is the work of the VFX studio Framestore, which worked on Paddington and Harry Potter, so the 3D work is wonderfully polished. And the ad is backed up by a clever choice of soundtrack taking advantage of the “Snap crackle pop pop fizz fizz” line from the Jurassic 5.
(Image credit: Kellogg’s)
Kellogg’s says the campaign was inspired by research that showed that morning routines are very personal. It’s taking this idea and wants to show that breakfast isn’t only food but that it’s also a moment that sets the tone for the day. And it has a lot riding it – £12 million, apparently, covering UK TV, digital, social and retail promotions.
Cornelius dates way back to 1957, and this isn’t the first time he’s been animated – check out the above compilation of ads that someone put together on YouTube. The story goes that he came about by a happy accident after the Welsh harpist Nancy Richards pointed out to the Kellog family that the name Kellog was similar to ‘ceiliog’, the Welsh for cockerel. Some even suggest his unsual colour is a homage to the Welsh flag.
Either way, he the perfect brand mascot for a breakfast cereal since he had a deeper meaning beyond being a recognisable face, reminding city dwellers that the day starts with the cockerel’s call and a good breakfast. The new ad shows how a heritage mascot can be brought to life for a modern audience.
But is it enough to save breakfast cereal? Compared to KFC’s wildly surreal ad, the appearance of Cornelius feels a little flat. It’s almost like the breakfast eaters in the ad aren’t sure whether they’re supposed to be surprised by the novelty of a giant green rooster marching down the street or to see him as a familiar face that’s part of their morning routine. For now, it feels like it doesn’t really go anywhere, but we’re told there will be more ads in the series.
