Whether my rampant paranoia is correct or not, marketing items to collect was pure genius and a tactic that spanned over decades. However, in recent years these items are nowhere to be seen which would suggest these cereal prizes didn’t actually result in higher sales. That big cereal realised folk will buy their cereal anyway as we now have this breakfast ingrained in our culture.
Would it be the same if the initial prizes hadn’t hooked us and our forefathers? Who knows. All I know is that when I have children, I’m not sure I want this eating habit to continue after realising how I got onto it in the first place and that—for whatever reason—the cereal companies are now too joyless to oblige.
C’mon Kingsmill and Wonder Bread, you know what to do.