Cheerios: The smallest Love story ever told

Background

Cereal may not be the sexiest category, but it is home to some of America's iconic brands. Cheerios, for instance, has been a staple since 1941. However, recent messaging has taken on a particular tone.

For a significant period, the brand found success with claims of efficacy—that regular consumption could contribute to lowering cholesterol—a message that resonated with baby boomers.

But this narrowed the brand down to a cereal that only lowers cholesterol. What was once a tremendous competitive point of difference was making the brand smaller culturally. The risk was that, over time, younger consumers saw Cheerios as medicine in a bowl.

Unfortunately, this success had a drawback: it pigeonholed the brand as a cholesterol-reducing cereal. What was once a strong point of distinction ended up limiting the brand's cultural impact. The potential danger was that, with time, younger consumers might start viewing Cheerios as medicine in a bowl.

Strategy

It all began with a straightforward image search, an attempt to draw inspiration from how people incorporate Cheerios into their everyday lives. What immediately caught our eye was an abundance of baby pictures. We were already aware of moms relying on "O"s for their little ones, but we perceived it differently this time.

We realized that Cheerios plays a significant role in people's lives from the beginning to the end.

It serves as one of the first finger foods parents introduce to their babies, transitions into a teenager's after-school snack, comforts college students in nostalgic midnight suppers from homecare packages, and continues to offer solace in later years when our hearts need a little extra care.

Rarely do brands cover an individual's entire lifespan, allowing Cheerios to shift from heart-healthy to soul-nourishing—rekindling America's affection for Cheerios.

Award

4A’s Jay Chiat Award, 2014