Around the United States, hot political issues captivate citizens in an endless cycle of debate. Having so many problems leads to some slipping through undetected. I will address one that caused most of its damage on my generation, but this villain continues to push its hidden agenda on today's young ones. Children's cereal commercials use cartoons, slogans, and appealing tastes to lure kids into sneaking their product into the grocery cart so that their mother has to end up buying it once she notices the new addition during check out. Looking past the simple advertising reveals complex political opinions designed to settle into the minds of young viewers, only to hatch out later in life.
Two cereals actually clash in their pursuit to gain support on their ideas of transparency in government. Apple Jacks enjoys and agrees with the use of deceit. They mask their real product taste with their cunning title which leads some to ask, “Shouldn't they taste like apples?” These questioners symbolize the dissenters of government policies, locked in backward and traditional ways. The kids support the taste, responding “we just do” when asked why, an obvious endorsement for backing government no matter the use of ambiguous decrees or legislation. Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, on the other hand, promotes openness in governing. Their commercials boast that anyone can easily notice the cinnamon in their breakfast treat. Claiming it as “the taste you can see,” Cinnamon Toast Crunch favors an honest government who allows all to be known and thus, gains a favorable rating from its citizens.
Other cereals find it necessary to shape the minds of children over economic classes and the use of lower taxes and programs such as social welfare. “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids,” may seem like just another trivial slogan at first, but its deeper meaning ridicules the rich, the rabbit in the commercial. These advertisements act as if the kids, the less fortunate financially, have a right to the cereal, government aid. America’s future leaders do not need this blatant propaganda, no matter its stance politically, in between an episode of the “Suite Life with Zach and Cody.” I do give credit to one cereal for attempting to educate adolescents on the subject. Lucky Charms takes a more neutral stance over sharing the wealth. In their commercials, the Leprechaun, representing the rich, has to continually defend his lucky charms, his wealth, from the ever persistent children. Sometimes the kids, poorer individuals, succeed in the quest for more equality financially, but sometimes they don’t. This advertising campaign presents the ongoing tax struggle in society. I sincerely hope that children’s cereal use their unbridled power in a positive manner, but unfortunately, most fail to recognize or care about the harm their politically charged advertisements wreak.
Another topic that splits two competing children’s cereals is that of the acceptance of opinions deemed radical. Cocoa Puffs and Honeycomb Cereal promote a traditional stance towards non-mainstream viewpoints. Their symbols, a crazy bird and a fuzz ball respectively, play the part of the radicals themselves. Their hyper and irrational behavior derives from the absurd goodness of the two cereals, or the absurdity of the extreme beliefs. This turns children away from accepting new and unique ideas due to perceived notions of their advocates. Reese’s Cereal attempts to instruct kids that societal trends can be broken. If they want candy for breakfast, my god they can have it. With just one bite, they can be thrust into such great taste that they accept the revolutionary stance. No matter which brand presents the better case, the fact is that they do when they should just be selling their cereal.
I hope this in depth look into the hidden meanings of children’s cereal commercials provides a push for open discussions on such a controversial topic. At first it may not seem as important as other issues facing America, but it will linger and affect the future of our kids if nothing is done.
