Brand: Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats
Agency: Leo Burnett USA
Creative Director: Jonathan Hoffman
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats pretty much sell themselves – especially in New York, where they’re strategically positioned within easy reach of stoners and drunks at deli counters. (They’re so delicious at three in the morning!) So what’s left to do in the new Treats campaign? Simply remind us that the things exist. (The cereal’s been around since 1928, the Treats recipe since 1941, but the prepackaged Treat went on the market only in 1995.) In one spot a voice-over asks, “Do you hate going to work?” as a straphanger crashes to the floor when his train suddenly stops. Good thing he’s got a Treat on hand – he folds one into his palm to secure his grip on the metal strap. (Tag line: “Rice Krispies Treats. Great for grip. Best when eaten.”) Another spot shows a fat guy frolicking in a pool with a life-size female companion fashioned from Treats. (“If you’re lonely and don’t have any friends to go swimming with, consider making one with Rice Krispies Treats!”) The Kellogg’s Website actually outlines a corporate commitment to “wholesome, quality spot advertising that is truthful.” Bless the Burnett agency for not only not overthinking that directive but underthinking it with spots that are as stupid and irresistible as the product itself. What could be more truthful than “Best when eaten”?