By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon
Remember Cornelius, the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes mascot? Here in the United States, the character was created at Chicago ad agency Leo Burnett and made his debut on cereal boxes in 1957. “Corny,” as the character was nicknamed, was illustrated with a green body, red comb, yellow beak and a whole lot of personality.
It’s time for a wake-up call. Across the pond in London circa 2024, Cornelius has been newly reimagined by Leo Burnett UK in the new “See You in the Morning” marketing campaign. The big bird of breakfast is back and he’s just as confident in 3D as he was when he was illustrated on a cereal box.
“See You in the Morning”
It’s just your typical morning in this Kellogg’s campaign. People all over the city are waking up, having breakfast, and starting their day. All the way, a life-size Cornelius turns heads as he struts his way down the streets. (The song accompanying him? It’s “Jayou” by Jurassic 5.)
Eventually, he flies off and perches on a rooftop before crowing his iconic call. If you weren’t already awake and in awe of what’s going on, you are now.
According to the Kellogg’s press release, the message of “See You in the Morning” celebrates the importance of “you do you” time in the mornings with the constant presence of Kellogg’s cereal. Everyone in the advert goes about their mornings as it best suits them. A bowl of Kellogg’s cereal is never too far out of frame either.
“‘See You in the Morning’ is our new platform for an iconic brand,” said Mark Elwood, CCO of Leo Burnett. “We wanted to celebrate Kellogg’s legacy by bringing back Cornelius, the mascot, with all his original swagger, while giving him a fresh energy to connect with a new generation. Mornings feel different for everyone, but starting your day with a bowl of the original classic is always a great choice.”
The campaign will run throughout Europe with the goal of reaching 150 million people in 2025.
Cornelius will also start appearing in a series of Kellogg’s social media shorts starting January 2025 that focus on “You Do You” moments. As noted in the press release, Cornelius will be part of a wide variety of morning scenarios that include couples sharing quiet moments during breakfast and kids rushing off to school.
Follow along on the Kellogg’s Instagram and TikTok so you don’t miss the opportunity to share your own personal morning rituals. After all, birds of a feather do enjoy breakfast together.
Image Credits: Kellogg’s UK
About the Author
Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.
