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Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era
Butting in every ten minutes to interrupt the exploits of Bugs Bunny, Underdog, or Rocky and Bullwinkle, a very different kind of cartoon series won the affection of viewers on Saturday mornings in the 1950s. Breakfast cereal commercials played out their own storylines in time slots of just a few seconds each. Soon, Cap’n Crunch ™ , the Trix Rabbit ™ , Toucan Sam ™ , Count Chocula ™ , and many more were household names, familiar as the cartoon personalities in regular television programs. Some creatures tried to swipe cereal from their friends. Others showed off the super strength given by their breakfast food of choice. Catch phrases even turned up in everyday talk, from “They’re magically delicious!” ™ to “They’re grrreat!” ™ Rediscover the heyday of these beloved cereal advertising characters in Part of a Complete Breakfast , which includes fascinating information about their origins. Did you know Tony the Tiger ™ originally walked on all fours and had claws and sharp teeth? Or that Lucky the Leprechaun ™ seemed to genuinely hate the kids who chased after him to take his Lucky Charms ™ cereal? Meet cartoons who never made it into the public eye, including a “lost” Kellogg’s character named Nutrina, and a proposed fourth member of the Rice Krispies ™ gang—a spaceman named Pow! This highly illustrated narrative explores the history and evolution of these cartoon characters in an effort to both celebrate and measure their impact on American culture, focusing primarily on the years 1950–1979, when children’s programming became a powerful force and savvy advertisers realized that they could directly appeal to an enormous audience of kids through this new medium. In many ways these cereal commercials became extensions of the regularly scheduled programming featuring their own cast of animated characters. Drawing from his personal collection of pop culture memorabilia, Tim Hollis celebrates the characters dreamed up by mid-twentieth-century mad men when television was an exciting new way to advertise. He takes us through the ups and downs of the rules and regulations imposed by the National Association of Broadcasters. Vivid photographs reveal the flavors of the earliest cereal commercials and the role they played in claiming the loyalties of young breakfast eaters. Part of a Complete Breakfast is perfect for members of the baby boom generation who knew and loved many of those beloved cereal mascots, and who still retain a warm place in their hearts (and stomachs) for them.
- GenresNonfictionFood
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 28, 2021
A rousing and informative excursion into the world of animated breakfast cereal advocacy, appropriately presweetened with wit.
December 29, 2019
Love this look at cereal mascots! I have not read it completely cover to cover, but I really like the warmth shown towards the characters and I think it's just plain fun to read.
September 17, 2021
A pleasant read about a unique topic - the history of the breakfast cereal mascot.
The book begins in the mid to late 1800’s chronicling the birth of the breakfast cereal industry, but the bulk of the book is devoted to the period of time from the 1940s through the 1970s when the number and variety of breakfast cereals greatly increased and the promotion of those breakfast cereals really took off: the era of the Baby Boomer babies and youths.
As the author introduced the various newly created breakfast cereals and their promotional characters in the chronology of their initial public appearance the experience gradually morphed from an informational tone to a welcome stroll down memory lane. With each description of the particular commercial introducing or hosting the particular breakfast cereal mascot, to the inclusion of the lyrics of the commercial’s accompanying jingle, to the actual description of the oftentimes new cereal being promoted, memories long buried were triggered and once again I found myself as a youth watching those commercials on tv, hearing that advertising jingle on the radio, consuming that particular breakfast cereal, or even reminiscing about sending my precious cereal box top(s) to the address listed on the cereal box for either a coveted trinket advertised on that particular cereal box or for a plush version of the cereal’s promotional mascot.
The author cleared up a number of questions I had in my youth regarding the breakfast cereals: the reason for the eventual abandonment over time of various cereal mascots, the tie-in with a familiar cartoon character, the reason for so many obviously duplicate cereals on the shelves at the grocery store, and the reason for the discontinuation of a number of cereals I enjoyed but would discover after only a very brief period of time they could no longer be found when shopping at the grocery store. It was also interesting to read who supplied the voices for the various breakfast cereal mascots.
The book was rich with numerous vintage illustrations depicting the various breakfast cereals. These illustrations included reproductions of the actual fronts and/or backs of the breakfast cereal boxes, panels of cartoons depicting the various familiar mascots promoting their sponsored breakfast cereal, photocopies of promotional contests offered by the cereal company, copies of photos showing commercials actually displayed on the family’s television screens, photos of some promotional toys one could send away for that required only some cereal box tops and sometimes an accompanying nominal fee, and examples of other promotional mediums for the various breakfast products over the years.
The book was published in 2012 and it was welcoming to read that quite a number of the original and familiar cereals from my youth that I had not eaten since then were still being produced at the time. While reading the book I was so tempted to run down to the local grocery store and grab from the shelf a once beloved cereal that I hadn’t consumed in decades, to eat while continuing on my historical journey within the realm of the breakfast cereal mascots.
If you had some favorite breakfast cereals in your youth and enjoyed the crazy antics of certain promotional characters in ads and commercials for those breakfast cereals you too may enjoy the nostalgia this book evokes. For those who may also be interested in the general history of breakfast cereals in America, another good book to read is “Cerealization of America. The Unsweetened Story of American Breakfast Cereal,” by Bill Crawford and Bruce Scott. A book I have also enjoyed reading.
The book begins in the mid to late 1800’s chronicling the birth of the breakfast cereal industry, but the bulk of the book is devoted to the period of time from the 1940s through the 1970s when the number and variety of breakfast cereals greatly increased and the promotion of those breakfast cereals really took off: the era of the Baby Boomer babies and youths.
As the author introduced the various newly created breakfast cereals and their promotional characters in the chronology of their initial public appearance the experience gradually morphed from an informational tone to a welcome stroll down memory lane. With each description of the particular commercial introducing or hosting the particular breakfast cereal mascot, to the inclusion of the lyrics of the commercial’s accompanying jingle, to the actual description of the oftentimes new cereal being promoted, memories long buried were triggered and once again I found myself as a youth watching those commercials on tv, hearing that advertising jingle on the radio, consuming that particular breakfast cereal, or even reminiscing about sending my precious cereal box top(s) to the address listed on the cereal box for either a coveted trinket advertised on that particular cereal box or for a plush version of the cereal’s promotional mascot.
The author cleared up a number of questions I had in my youth regarding the breakfast cereals: the reason for the eventual abandonment over time of various cereal mascots, the tie-in with a familiar cartoon character, the reason for so many obviously duplicate cereals on the shelves at the grocery store, and the reason for the discontinuation of a number of cereals I enjoyed but would discover after only a very brief period of time they could no longer be found when shopping at the grocery store. It was also interesting to read who supplied the voices for the various breakfast cereal mascots.
The book was rich with numerous vintage illustrations depicting the various breakfast cereals. These illustrations included reproductions of the actual fronts and/or backs of the breakfast cereal boxes, panels of cartoons depicting the various familiar mascots promoting their sponsored breakfast cereal, photocopies of promotional contests offered by the cereal company, copies of photos showing commercials actually displayed on the family’s television screens, photos of some promotional toys one could send away for that required only some cereal box tops and sometimes an accompanying nominal fee, and examples of other promotional mediums for the various breakfast products over the years.
The book was published in 2012 and it was welcoming to read that quite a number of the original and familiar cereals from my youth that I had not eaten since then were still being produced at the time. While reading the book I was so tempted to run down to the local grocery store and grab from the shelf a once beloved cereal that I hadn’t consumed in decades, to eat while continuing on my historical journey within the realm of the breakfast cereal mascots.
If you had some favorite breakfast cereals in your youth and enjoyed the crazy antics of certain promotional characters in ads and commercials for those breakfast cereals you too may enjoy the nostalgia this book evokes. For those who may also be interested in the general history of breakfast cereals in America, another good book to read is “Cerealization of America. The Unsweetened Story of American Breakfast Cereal,” by Bill Crawford and Bruce Scott. A book I have also enjoyed reading.
April 29, 2021
I enjoyed this book a lot. As a child of the 70s (with its regulations on commercials) and a teen of the 80s (Reagan-era deregulation and a commercial free-for-all) I remember a lot of these mascots fondly. But APPARENTLY I missed quite a golden age in the decades prior to my arrival upon this Earth! This book is fortified with fruity tidbits of cereal-marketing history... for instance, at one point the Apple Jacks mascot was an actual carved apple-headed homunculus, and I had no idea Linus the Lionhearted started his career as a cereal salesperson. My only complaint is that there's very few color photos. Oh well, that's what the internet is for. Two thumbs up, would recommend.
July 9, 2022
This was a very specific topic but it was honestly a lot of fun. Advertising aimed at kids is super interesting to me, so this was a good fit. It was a quick, fun read. Wish there were more colour photos but I'm sure some of these photos just may not exist in colour. Also, we spend a lot of time worrying about the amount of sugar in cereal, but so many 60s-era cereals encouraged kids to eat them with cream and sugar??? Like dang.
August 18, 2024
This is one of the best nonficion books I have ever read! I really enjoyed learning the history of the cereals and their mascots. Some of the history surprised me! I highly recommend this book no matter what era you're from!
March 22, 2021
Entertaining and informative. I think it would be sad if an author writing about breakfast cereal took himself and his subject too seriously. Fortunately, that's not the case with Tim Hollis.
Yeah, it's filled with wisecracks, but this book is actually a treasure trove of research, too. It's a good resource for the documentation of a wide variety of long lost cereals and cereal mascots from companies including Kellogg's, Post, General Mills, Ralston, and Quaker Oats. Plus, it showcases the development and changes of all the major mascots and cereals that managed to stick around.
The history is thorough. Though the author starts with radio and print advertising, the rest of the book is mostly devoted to the history of cereal branding through the medium of television commercials (and to a large extent the cereal boxes themselves, as well as the box top premiums--as a collector, that was my main interest in the book). It's organized by decades and companies which makes it really convenient to follow the progression of specific characters.
A healthy chunk of the book is devoted to recognizing and acknowledging the voice actors supplying the characters' trademark slogans and sayings, as well as in many cases the studio artists drawing the characters and the animations. That wasn't my interest but I can understand why it needed to be included.
There is some speculation on the author's part about what the conversations in the advertising departments of these companies must have been like (Hollis is hilarious in describing these scenes--I really enjoyed his sense of humor throughout the book).
The most interesting thing I learned was the VERY close relationship between "regular" cartoons and commerical advertising cartoon characters. The shows that children watched were often sponsored by cereal companies. In many cases, it was actually the same people who were drawing and voicing the cartoons as it was drawing and supplying the voices in the cereal commercials. The commercials were FAR better produced than the shows (you can tell where their priorities stood!) And, in fact, it is evident that characters like Bullwinkle, Popeye, and even the entire Hanna Barbera lineup only existed in the first place to sell products to children on Saturday mornings!
Yeah, it's filled with wisecracks, but this book is actually a treasure trove of research, too. It's a good resource for the documentation of a wide variety of long lost cereals and cereal mascots from companies including Kellogg's, Post, General Mills, Ralston, and Quaker Oats. Plus, it showcases the development and changes of all the major mascots and cereals that managed to stick around.
The history is thorough. Though the author starts with radio and print advertising, the rest of the book is mostly devoted to the history of cereal branding through the medium of television commercials (and to a large extent the cereal boxes themselves, as well as the box top premiums--as a collector, that was my main interest in the book). It's organized by decades and companies which makes it really convenient to follow the progression of specific characters.
A healthy chunk of the book is devoted to recognizing and acknowledging the voice actors supplying the characters' trademark slogans and sayings, as well as in many cases the studio artists drawing the characters and the animations. That wasn't my interest but I can understand why it needed to be included.
There is some speculation on the author's part about what the conversations in the advertising departments of these companies must have been like (Hollis is hilarious in describing these scenes--I really enjoyed his sense of humor throughout the book).
The most interesting thing I learned was the VERY close relationship between "regular" cartoons and commerical advertising cartoon characters. The shows that children watched were often sponsored by cereal companies. In many cases, it was actually the same people who were drawing and voicing the cartoons as it was drawing and supplying the voices in the cereal commercials. The commercials were FAR better produced than the shows (you can tell where their priorities stood!) And, in fact, it is evident that characters like Bullwinkle, Popeye, and even the entire Hanna Barbera lineup only existed in the first place to sell products to children on Saturday mornings!
September 8, 2022
Excellent surface level history of Kids Cereal. Would have loved more insight into (or interviews with) the creators of classic characters - a sort of people’s history that gives first hand accounts and motivations rather than speculation. Which isn’t to say this book isn’t well researched, it is. It’s just missing that element of investigative research that would have brought even more light to the topic. Without it, the book feels removed from the source. Still the best single source on the topic that I’ve come across.
March 6, 2019
Having grown up with these cereals, their mascots, and, of course, the commercials on Saturday mornings, I naturally loved this book. It offers insight into the advertising that went into these products, but is also a fun, nostalgic read.
August 4, 2025
A well-researched account of some of the greatest product mascots ever created: the cold cereal mascots of the Baby Boomer generation. Packed with fascinating history and tons of great photographs, this is must reading for any pop culture junkie.
October 17, 2012
I should state from the start that I did not read this book completely. More of a 'detailed skim'.
My wife borrowed this from the library, and it was a fun perusal. Reading it brought back many memories of the funny, and sometimes odd advertisements for children's breakfast cereals. The book gave some fun background on the advertising campaigns and characters we grew up with.
Havign said that, for me the book was only good for a quick perusal. I think the authors approach would appeal more to a collector or historian of Breakfast cereal ads, as it deals mostly with listing facts, and dates. For someone that wants to know the dates when certain incarnations of Cap'n Crunch were used in ads for example, this book would be valuable. But for someone just reading this for fun, and would like to now how Cap'n Crunch came to be, it's appearance outside of the cereal adds, how/why he evolved over time, and why the heck a company would sell a cereal that successfully scrapped every shred of skin off the roof of your mouth when you ate it, this book is a little lacking.
My wife borrowed this from the library, and it was a fun perusal. Reading it brought back many memories of the funny, and sometimes odd advertisements for children's breakfast cereals. The book gave some fun background on the advertising campaigns and characters we grew up with.
Havign said that, for me the book was only good for a quick perusal. I think the authors approach would appeal more to a collector or historian of Breakfast cereal ads, as it deals mostly with listing facts, and dates. For someone that wants to know the dates when certain incarnations of Cap'n Crunch were used in ads for example, this book would be valuable. But for someone just reading this for fun, and would like to now how Cap'n Crunch came to be, it's appearance outside of the cereal adds, how/why he evolved over time, and why the heck a company would sell a cereal that successfully scrapped every shred of skin off the roof of your mouth when you ate it, this book is a little lacking.
January 24, 2016
Entertaining ride down memory lane. Enjoyed reading about how some of my favorite cereal characters were born and the iterations they went through in their "lives". Hollis is a mostly entertaining writer, though by the last third of the book, his corny (purposely used) jokes got annoying and distracting. Instead of letting the stories speak for themselves, he felt that he needed to inject his humor when it was not needed. Still worth the read and would have given 3.5 stars if able.
April 4, 2013
Dry but interesting. I enjoyed learning the ins and outs of where the breakfast cereal mascots came from, and there are lots of vintage pictures. The book is slowly paced however, even for a nonfiction. Still a good read!
January 5, 2015
When it comes to books on pop culture, Tim Hollis is king. This book is a fun and informative over-view of breakfast cereal mascots and the cereals that they peddled in various forms of media.
And, yes, I still miss Cap'n Crunch's Vanilla Crunch...and the sugar cookie flavor of Cookie Crisp.
And, yes, I still miss Cap'n Crunch's Vanilla Crunch...and the sugar cookie flavor of Cookie Crisp.
January 25, 2013
This was a fascinating look at one of my favorite foods : cereal. I very much enjoyed the inside story of the various mascots. I doubt there will ever be a better book written on the subject.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews