By Alex S., Advertising Week Contributing Writer
Ah, the 1970s—a golden age of Saturday morning cartoons, disco fever, and some of the wildest breakfast cereals ever to hit grocery store shelves. If you were a kid during this decade, you probably remember sitting cross-legged in front of the TV, spoon in hand, as you powered through a sugar-fueled morning with your favorite cereal mascot cheering you on. But not every cereal had the staying power of Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms. Some fizzled out like a forgotten one-hit wonder, leaving only a faint, sugary memory behind.
Let’s take a bite out of history and revisit the top 10 most popular but forgotten breakfast cereals of the 1970s—because nothing says nostalgia like neon-colored marshmallows and cartoon mascots that deserved better.
Crazy Cow
Ever dreamed of a cereal that turned your milk into a chocolate or strawberry milkshake? General Mills made that dream a reality with Crazy Cow! This cereal featured crispy corn puffs coated in a powdery flavor mix that dissolved into a sweet, milk-altering magic potion. Sadly, Crazy Cow went MIA by the early ‘80s, leaving behind a legacy of chocolatey milk mustaches.
Sir Grapefellow
The 1970s were a bold time for breakfast flavors, and nothing proved that more than Sir Grapefellow. This purple-hued, grape-flavored cereal (yes, you read that right—grape!) came with a British pilot mascot who promised kids an “aerodynamic breakfast.” Unfortunately, the world wasn’t ready for grape-flavored morning crunchies, and Sir Grapefellow flew off into the cereal sunset.
Baron Von Redberry
Sir Grapefellow’s fruity rival, Baron Von Redberry, brought a tangy punch of berry-flavored goodness to breakfast tables. Marketed as the Red Baron’s long-lost cousin, this cereal had all the same aeronautical gimmicks but with a sweet, raspberry zing. While the cereal aisle was never quite the same without this flavor feud, both cereals disappeared before the decade was up.
Buc Wheats
A healthier take on sugary cereals, Buc Wheats combined wheat flakes with a hint of maple syrup, giving it that perfect pancake-on-a-Saturday-morning vibe. While it gained a loyal fanbase, General Mills made a fatal mistake by removing the maple flavoring, which led to its eventual demise. A true case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Freakies
Freakies had one of the most memorable marketing campaigns of the ‘70s, featuring a gang of colorful, oddball monsters who lived in the Freakies Tree. This corn cereal was a hit among kids, but despite its catchy jingle and mascot squad, it didn’t last beyond the decade. The Freakies tried a comeback in the ‘80s, but by then, the cereal world had moved on.
Crunchy Loggs
Leave it to the 1970s to make tree bark-inspired breakfast appealing! Crunchy Loggs was a maple-flavored cereal featuring a beaver mascot named Loggins (because of course he was). While it had its fans, the cereal ultimately failed to chomp down on long-term success.
Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs
Kellogg’s really put a mouthful into this one—literally. This cereal, with its ridiculously long name, featured a robotic mascot named Cecil who had to “laugh” the cereal out of a machine. While it had a fun gimmick, the cereal itself (a lightly sweetened corn and oat combo) wasn’t distinctive enough to keep kids hooked, and it quietly vanished.
Pink Panther Flakes
Taking inspiration from the classic cartoon, Post’s Pink Panther Flakes put a rosy twist on traditional corn flakes with a sugary, bubblegum-pink coating. While undeniably eye-catching, the flavor wasn’t quite as iconic as its animated counterpart, and the cereal disappeared faster than the Pink Panther’s elusive diamond.
Quake
A sibling cereal to Quisp, Quake had a rough-and-tumble construction worker mascot who promised a hearty crunch. Unfortunately, the rivalry between Quake and Quisp ended in Quisp’s favor after a mascot face-off in which kids voted for their favorite. Quake was discontinued, proving that even in the cereal world, survival of the fittest reigns supreme.
C-3PO’s (Late ‘70s – Early ‘80s)
Okay, this one barely makes the ‘70s cutoff, but Star Wars fans will appreciate the nod. C-3PO’s was a honey-sweetened, figure-eight-shaped cereal that capitalized on the Star Wars craze. While it launched in 1979 and had a brief intergalactic moment, it didn’t have the same staying power as the franchise itself.
Final Crunch
Looking back at these forgotten cereals, it’s clear that the 1970s were a playground for experimental flavors, wacky mascots, and marketing gimmicks that truly went for it. While they may be lost to time (and the depths of discontinued product graveyards), they live on in the memories of those lucky enough to have experienced them.
What was your favorite long-lost cereal mascot?