Kellogg’s has given its mascot Cornelius the cockerel a makeover as part of a £12m marketing effort to revive its cereal volumes.
The new campaign, ‘See you in the morning’, sees a giant Cornelius strutting confidently through city streets, soundtracked to Jurassic 5’s 1998 hip-hop track Jayou.
Cornelius encounters various individuals carrying out their unique morning routines, with Kellogg’s cereals and snack bars featuring as a constant presence.
The reimagining of Cornelius, who first appeared on Corn Flakes packs in 1958, symbolised “Kellogg’s dedication to future innovation and investment in cereal”, it said.
He was created and developed by Framestore, the animation studio behind the Paddington and Harry Potter films.
The campaign will roll out across TV, digital, social media, out of home, and in stores in the UK in January.
‘State-of-the-art’ cereal
The revamp follows a £75m investment in a “state-of-the-art transformation” of Kellogg’s Wrexham cereal factory, announced in October.
The investment – Kellogg’s largest in British cereal production in over 30 years – will create 130 jobs at the site and allow Kellogg’s to produce 1.5 million boxes of cereal per day in the UK.
“Our cereals have been a breakfast staple for 117 years and we’re committed to supporting cereal to continue to perform and grow,” said Kellogg’s UK & Ireland MD Chris Silcock.
“We have more new and exciting innovations to come in 2025, where we’ll maximise key seasonal moments and drive incremental growth opportunities within the category.
“As pioneers of cereal, it’s our responsibility to elevate its status and remind consumers of the value of breakfast at every table.”
Declining volumes
However, it comes as Kellogg’s top 10 bestselling cereal brands are in decline. They sold 6.2 million fewer kilos through the tills combined, according to NIQ data used in The Grocer’s Top Products [52 w/e 7 September 2024].
Of Kellogg’s top-10 cereal brands, only Coco Pops (+4.8%) and Frosties (+6.8%) saw value growth – their £4.5m gain was solely attributable to higher prices.
Speaking on Kellogg’s’ volume declines, UK&I revenue & channel director Andy Williams said: “Cereal remains the number one food category at breakfast and is bought by nearly 27m households in the UK.
“As leaders of the category, we understand the responsibility to drive demand, making it a dynamic and exciting category for retailers and to build a deep understanding of the breakfast occasion and consumers.”
The ‘See you in the morning’ campaign was “just one part of this”, said Williams.
“We are confident we will drive growth across numerous areas, including new products, partnerships, in-store activation, out of store and communications,” he added.
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