Mary Carmichael
Kellogg is going back for a third helping of its controversial Kick-Start weight loss campaign to back Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes, Fruit n' Fibre and Special K cereal brands.
Timed to coincide with interest in last-minute summer holiday dieting, the scheme encourages consumers to eat a bowl of cereal with semi-skimmed milk for breakfast and another in place of a main meal every day for two weeks.
Originally launched in June 2000 as the 2 Week Eating Plan, the scheme caused controversy, with some nutritionists criticising it as "irresponsible". Kellogg insisted it had been developed after close consultation with nutritionists. Its relaunch comes amid increasing concerns about the British diet, with one in five Britons said to be obese. UK sales director Kevin Jones pointed to the scheme's popularity: "Previous campaigns have seen as many as three million people taking part ­ a lot of potential customers."
Participants are advised to eat one other balanced main meal, lots of fruit and vegetables, and drink beverages as normal.
The idea is that they should lose up to 6lbs in the fortnight, giving them an initial boost and encouragement to continue with a healthy eating plan.
A £1m, three-week burst of TV advertising is set to back the regime's return. Starting tomorrow (June 1), it features drastic methods of losing weight with the underlying theme that there must be an easier way. Each execution ends with the line Somebody tell her...' followed by details of Kellogg's programme.
Support also includes instore and PR activity and an on-pack promotion to get a free towel.

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