Comments on: They're Gr-r-r-izzate!

They're Gr-r-r-izzate!

slogger — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:12:19 -0800

Get all your underground urban Kellogg's-branded gear from Under the Hood.

By: dontoine

dontoine — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:15:16 -0800

cereously?

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:17:06 -0800

yep, best of the web advertisments.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:17:38 -0800

Get all your underground urban Kellogg's-branded gear from Under the Hood. I will. I promise. Absolutely 100% of it. Excellent post title.

By: elwoodwiles

elwoodwiles — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:19:18 -0800

Icy Hot Crispaz.

By: Blazecock Pileon

Blazecock Pileon — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:20:10 -0800

Hey, it works for McDonalds and for Kool, why not cereal?

By: yellowbinder

yellowbinder — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:20:23 -0800

AHAHAHAHAHAH! I love how they try to make Corn Flakes look street.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:22:39 -0800

The Froot Loops back shot is pretty awesome. "Follow your nose! To my ass!"

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:24:08 -0800

HAW HAW Black people sure are different.

By: alexwoods

alexwoods — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:31:53 -0800

It's on, n*gga / on and crackin' / like Dig 'Em / lips be smackin' / runnin' off at they mouth steady talkin' 'bout us / on some shit they overheard but enough is enough

By: three blind mice

three blind mice — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:32:07 -0800

I love how they try to make Corn Flakes look street. .... violence broke out again last night between the Fifth Avenue Fruit Loops and the Central Ave Hello Kitty gangs. Witnesses report multiple shots were fired. Police arrived to find soggy corn flakes and a milk-spattered crime scene. A dark skinned male, of average height and build, wearing a hooded Tony the Tiger fuzzy sweater was seen running away from the bowl. He is believed to be armed with a spoon.

By: heatherbeth

heatherbeth — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:33:40 -0800

That made me laugh. The heavily embroidered, fruitloops jeans especially.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:36:31 -0800

Weren't Corn Flakes originally created to reduce men's sex drive? Is this the sort of message our youth want to convey?

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:40:35 -0800

HAW HAW Black people sure are different. Wrong teapot for your tempest. This ad campaign represents black people about as accurately as this McDonald's campaign represents Asians. It's LOLSTUPIDADS, not LOLOTHERRACES

By: slogger

slogger — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:41:05 -0800

bondcliff, I think you're thinking of graham crackers, although it may be true of corn flakes as well.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:42:59 -0800

I really dig those Smacks clothes.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:43:59 -0800

No tempest. I have seen many black students in my school wear clothing exactly as portrayed. From Spongebob to Tony the Tiger.

By: cashman

cashman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:45:31 -0800

Jordans do not go with Snap, Crackle & Pop. Bapes (or faux Bapes) do not go with Corn Flakes. Oh sure it rhymes with it, but it clashes. If they had the models (because if you think these guys are gangstas, then lord, I am mickey mouse) quit mean mugging and actually crack a smirk or two, it would make a purchase seem more likely. $110? I cannot understand how hoodies got to be priced at $75+ dollars. Can somebody explain how this is?

By: joelhunt

joelhunt — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:46:00 -0800

Some teenage boy is going to get one of those shirts as a birthday present from his clueless mom, and he is going to get straight-up guffawed at the first time he wears it in front of his friends. Which will be awesome.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:47:56 -0800

I think there is a serious culture gap on metafilter.

By: Kloryne

Kloryne — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:49:03 -0800

I can't stop looking... I keep finding new and terrible things.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:50:48 -0800

Slogger, From Wikipedia: A follower of Sylvester Graham, the inventor of graham crackers and graham bread and supporter of sexual abstinence, Kellogg believed that spicy or sweet foods would increase passions.The foods were therefore experimented in a psychological ward with great success. In contrast, cornflakes would have an anaphrodisiac property and lower the sex drive.[2] I always add green M&Ms to my cornflakes, to counteract the effect.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:51:29 -0800

I think there is a serious culture gap on metafilter. Be that as it may, I think it's still OK to laugh at ham-handed corporate cooptation of minority self-identification.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:53:10 -0800

oooh, and Omar would totally wear ones for Honey Nut Cheerios. Ya know, under the kevlar and trenchcoat. Man, cereal is great.

By: alexwoods

alexwoods — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:55:09 -0800

Uzis, material / eating Cocopuff cereal - Kool Keith

By: three blind mice

three blind mice — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:55:14 -0800

I have seen many black students in my school wear clothing exactly as portrayed. Wait a year and then you'll see the white kids wearing it. And then wait five years and you'll see European kids wearing it.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:57:01 -0800

I guess my position is that it is not ham-handed at all. This is not a new thing.

By: ericb

ericb — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:58:37 -0800

Police arrived to find soggy corn flakes and a milk-spattered crime scene. All likely signs indicating the work of a 'cereal killer.'

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:02:35 -0800

I guess my position is that it is not ham-handed at all. This is not a new thing. Not ham-handed? I'm not talking about the products, exactly. I wouldn't wear them, but I'm too cheap to buy clothes that expensive, anyway. What's ham-handed is this kind of corporate attempt to jam their logos into a subculture. I mean, come on. Look at the people in those pictures. They're airbrushed pretty boys. They should be in an a capella group. It's like some weird A&F caricature of the sort of people they think might wear these clothes.

By: resurrexit

resurrexit — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:02:54 -0800

I think those are the work uniforms for people who work here.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:03:45 -0800

(and yes, I know, there are plenty of black people in a capella groups. Perhaps that's the target market, after all)

By: cashman

cashman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:04:44 -0800

I feel bad for whatever school this is where kids actually wear Tony the Tiger jackets. It's almost unbelievable to me. Unless it is the Academy for Suckas (Fresh! for 2008).

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:08:00 -0800

Heh, they make crappy cereal bicycle jerseys too, but if I see you wearing one I'll have to jam my pump into your spokes.

By: Atom Eyes

Atom Eyes — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:12:12 -0800

I have seen many black students in my school wear clothing exactly as portrayed. From Spongebob to Tony the Tiger. Wow, you mean black people can have bad taste, too?! (Or do you actually think these clothes are cool, just by virtue of the fact that some black people wear them?)

By: MythMaker

MythMaker — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:14:01 -0800

Wow, those suck. Very funny stuff. I love the idea of Kellogg's trying to be all down and street with their cereal brands. Ridiculous.

By: The Straightener

The Straightener — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:14:26 -0800

I had a client whose 17 year old son who wore his "Lucky Coke" shirt with a cartoon of the Lucky Charms Leprechaun cooking up crack from powder cocaine for like a year straight. I don't think I ever saw him wear anything but that shirt.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:14:32 -0800

What's ham-handed is this kind of corporate attempt to jam their logos into a subculture. I mean, come on. Look at the people in those pictures. They're airbrushed pretty boys. They should be in an a capella group. It's like some weird A&F caricature of the sort of people they think might wear these clothes. posted by gurple at 2:02 PM on April 17 [+] [!] It's no more ham-handed than apple making t-shirts with the apple logo or any other company putting their logo on something. I guess I don't understand why its funny when hip-hop clothing has the trix rabbit on it , but was edgy for a hipster to wear a retro tee with the same thing. Models are models.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:16:56 -0800

Wait, you're saying we can't make fun of hipsters, now, either?

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:17:32 -0800

I have seen many black students in my school wear clothing exactly as portrayed. From Spongebob to Tony the Tiger. Wow, you mean black people can have bad taste, too?! (Or do you actually think these clothes are cool, just by virtue of the fact that some black people wear them?) posted by Atom Eyes at 2:12 PM on April 17 [+] [!] I don't quite appreciate what you're implying but you, sir, are the only one making a judgment call on the merits of the clothing. My point was that this is not some harebrained scheme. People do wear these clothes and have no problem wearing them. No one makes fun of them at school or even bats an eye at it.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:20:28 -0800

Kkarma, yo.

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:21:18 -0800

$110? I cannot understand how hoodies got to be priced at $75+ dollars. Can somebody explain how this is? There's a phenomenon where, simply by arbitrarily increasing the price of something, you increase it's perceived value and desirability to foolish, easily manipulated, or superficial people. Economists, (not to endorse economics), have a name for this: "Veblen goods." Basically, a $110 hoodie functions to shout "I have $110 to waste on a hoodie," which is pernicious in general and especially considering that this particular instance is being marketed to demographics who generally don't really have $110 to waste on a hoodie.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:21:38 -0800

Wait, you're saying we can't make fun of hipsters, now, either? posted by gurple at 2:16 PM on April 17 [+] [!] Hell go for it. I just think there's a bit of a double standard going on here. Is the issue that the clothes are "ugly"? Or is the issue that you think companies are off-base making clothing like this? What was the point of the OP? Who or what are we laughing at?

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:23:34 -0800

Gosh. You people have no pride in your breakfast choices. Cereal is my hot hot sex.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:25:30 -0800

I guess I don't understand why its funny when hip-hop clothing has the trix rabbit on it , but was edgy for a hipster to wear a retro tee with the same thing. Both scenarios are equally laughable.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:26:28 -0800

What was the point of the OP? Who or what are we laughing at? Me, I'm laughing at the guy who wants me to follow a toucan's nose into his ass.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:26:50 -0800

Why?

By: Gucky

Gucky — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:27:23 -0800

I sincerely and unironically love my Trix Rabbit baby tee. But I also own Captain Crunch and Charlie Tuna animation cels, Frankenberry and Count Chocula Rubriks and have lectured on the use of characters to depict brand, so it hasn't nothing to do with my street cred.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:28:36 -0800

Why? posted by ozomatli at 2:26 PM on April 17 [+] [!] This was with respect to bondcliff

By: Atom Eyes

Atom Eyes — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:32:27 -0800

I don't quite appreciate what you're implying but you, sir, are the only one making a judgment call on the merits of the clothing. No, I think several commenters in this thread have made judgment calls on the (crappy) merits of the clothing, only to be dismissed as quasi-racists by you with glib retorts like: HAW HAW Black people sure are different.

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:32:32 -0800

L.L. had this cornered 18 years ago. So we went to be alone But we had to be quiet, cause her Corn Pops was home Kissed her neck, kissed her back, kissed her arms I said, "Forget it, let me see your :ucky Charms" When we began her hairstyle was neat But when I left the next morning it looked like Shredded Wheat Talked about marriage, I said, "That's risky Besides, it's such a waste of Rice Crispies" She had a robe with the velour material Her pops woke up, I said, "Hello Mr. Cereal I came this morning to deliver the paper" He said, "Stop frontin, I know you caught the vapors. That's my daughter, so save your croonin. You better find another bowl of cereal to stick your spoon in." - "Milky Cereal" from Mama Said Knock You Out (1990).

By: The Straightener

The Straightener — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:32:45 -0800

I figure Kellogg stumbled onto the intelligence that there's been a thriving black market in the ghetto for pirated images of their characters recast as drug slinging, automatic weapons wielding drug kingpins for years now and are trying to cash in on those associations. I cannot understand how hoodies got to be priced at $75+ dollars. Can somebody explain how this is? BAPE.

By: slogger

slogger — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:33:30 -0800

What was the point of the OP? Who or what are we laughing at? posted by ozomatli at 2:21 PM on April 17 [+] [!] The point of the post? I thought it was interesting on many levels--from the techniques of Kellogg's marketers, to the design of the clothing, to the corporate perversion of subcultures, etc., etc. Personally, I'm not necessarily laughing at anything (although I couldn't resist a turn of phrase with the post title). However, I do agree with your assertion that there may be something of a culture gap here on the Blue. I found it quite surprising that you mention you've seen black college students wearing this (or very similar) clothing. In my racially mixed neighborhood, I've rarely seen kids wearing this style of clothing, although that could have more to do with economic factors than anything else. I have seen, however, seen many white people were similarly designed clothing inspired by NASCAR. Perhaps the cultural gap is widening in both directions. I don't know...

By: robtf3

robtf3 — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:37:40 -0800

I personally like my double bubble and blow pop ball caps I own. I think they give me street cred. Nothing says street like "I bought my clothes at Wal-Mart." Okay, so that actually says redneck.

By: robtf3

robtf3 — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:39:10 -0800

My apologies. Apparently, I'm captain redundant.

By: cashman

cashman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:39:18 -0800

ucky Charms I prefer Uffie Charms.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:45:22 -0800

slogger, I was not trying to impune your OP, I was genuinely curious about the point myself. Your post title did lead me to think in a particular direction. There really is a culture gap going on in the blue. I work at a local high school that is 90+% black and shirts and hoodies very similar to the ones posted can be seen everyday in every class. The kids that wear them are not thugs or trying to be street, its simply the fashion. The bold design and color use are what make them attractive. I also think there is a certain amount of consumer/class elitism here at play too.

By: gurple

gurple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:49:09 -0800

I think that, while you may have a point about elitism or even nascent racism, it's preventing you from seeing that a) there are ways in which this ad campaign is legitimately ridiculous and funny, and b) it's OK to laugh at those things. You MeFiMail everyone who's posted in this thread just to make sure -- SURE! -- that they were laughing for approved reasons. Perhaps we could all agree to some kind of polygraph analysis.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:56:39 -0800

Why? posted by ozomatli at 2:26 PM on April 17 [+] [!] Probably because I'm, well, what's the opposite of cool? My first thought upon reading the first line of Grabbingsand's post was "Bean?" Also, I have a hard enough time understanding why people pay extra for over sized logos of clothing companies on their clothes. The thought of paying anything for over sized food company (or computer company for that matter) logos, Ironically or not, is just, silly to my unhip (whatever the hell "hip" means these days) brain. Though I'll happily wear a Fruit Loops t-shirt if a Fruit Loops rep gives me one for free because, hey, free shirt! I suppose it's not much different than paying for t-shirts with My Favorite Band's name on them but somehow I have a hard time believing anyone can be moved by Corn Flakes the way they might be moved by their favorite band. I'll admit I find the concept of fashion in general to be hard to grasp so one should probably ignore anything I have to say on the subject.

By: [son] QUAALUDE

[son] QUAALUDE — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:57:23 -0800

good points on both sides ppl! debate aside, fpp is definitely best of web material in my book

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:58:21 -0800

Dude, laugh at what you want; I don't care. I can't and wouldn't stop you. I made the point I wanted to, perhaps in too strident a tone in the beginning and that's the end of it. I'm not on some crusade here.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:02:59 -0800

bondcliff, I think it has little to do with cool than what you prefer. Different strokes for different folks they say. I always find it interesting to find out why certain people dislike certain fashions.

By: [son] QUAALUDE

[son] QUAALUDE — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:04:41 -0800

If I may, in a completely non-confrontational and unsnarky manner (with no offense to any person or group), offer this classical (albeit, obvious) example of "brand appropriation" within so-called "urban culture" that mefites may be familiar with: Calvin Brodeus, aka Snoop Dogg background post (as provided by myself)

By: [son] QUAALUDE

[son] QUAALUDE — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:05:58 -0800

err... should be Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr.

By: cashman

cashman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:17:16 -0800

I want a Mefi bowl of beans jacket or hoodie, sold by Matt, for like $125. Proceeds to charity, of course. We just need an ill design.

By: quin

quin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:32:38 -0800

cashman : $110? I cannot understand how hoodies got to be priced at $75+ dollars. No shit. I ended up with a really nice hoodie a few years ago from a skate/ hipster type shop that one day a year marked everything down 50%, I got it for about $40, and was really impressed with how thick it was, and how well it held up. Eventually, I wanted to replace it, and looking around, I found that anything that was even remotely as heavy was absurdly expensive. Then my genius wife suggested I try the local farm supply shop. It honestly never occurred to me that hooded sweatshirts would probably be really useful to a certain group of people who have to get up early, and work outside in all kinds of weather. My current super-heavy duty, damn near indestructible black hoodie cost me $22 dollars. It and a basic leather jacket got me through one of the worst winters I've seen in years. Damn well spent money, if you ask me.

By: quin

quin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:40:55 -0800

And how is Froot Loops merchandise has not been co-opted by gay culture? If I were gay, I'd so lay claim to that shit. Alas, being a boring straight guy, I don't think I could pull it off. *sulks*

By: Uther Bentrazor

Uther Bentrazor — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:49:07 -0800

I'm not so much surprised that stuff like this gets made; it reminds me of all the ads I used to see for LOT29 clothing, which seems to primarily manufacture "Urban" gear festooned with Warner Bros. cartoons on them . I'm more surprised at the idea that anyone actually wears them.

By: joelf

joelf — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:51:26 -0800

quin, I got my hoodie for a fishing supply store. They had a back catalogue of snowboarder sweaters, I got a fake-fur lined zip up hoodie for $22.

By: MiltonRandKalman

MiltonRandKalman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:58:28 -0800

Until I found metafilter, I used to never slow down to look at accidents. Have marketing and advertising people lost all sense of decency, no moral ground, see no lines they can't cross? {goes back to designing Chevron green-washing ad}

By: billyfleetwood

billyfleetwood — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:06:16 -0800

Should go great with these shoes I occasionally worked in the "streetwear" industry and can confirm that yes, they're out of ideas. This is the last gasp of a dying trend. The kids in the hood, the ones who actually come up with the styles that the mainstream will be aping a few years from now, have picked up skateboards and are running around in pegged levis and spiked belts.

By: spec80

spec80 — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:50:57 -0800

I know what some MeFier's future Secret Santa give is!!!!

By: jtron

jtron — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:04:39 -0800

quin, growing up in the Northeast, I knew Carhartt as clothes that hardcore punks wore way before I knew it as a preferred brand of farm workers.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:28:32 -0800

I want a Mefi bowl of beans jacket or hoodie, sold by Matt, for like $125. You forgot the sweatpants!

By: Tube

Tube — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:30:24 -0800

I like my Froot Loops with grape drink.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:25:00 -0800

I can only hope that the next line of apparel from Under the Hood features these cartoon characters.

By: krinklyfig

krinklyfig — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:02:15 -0800

cashman writes "$110? I cannot understand how hoodies got to be priced at $75+ dollars. Can somebody explain how this is?" I can't understand why someone would want to pay over $100 to advertise breakfast cereal.

By: blasdelf

blasdelf — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:54:53 -0800

slogger nails it I grew up in the DC Public School system, and when it comes to the hard working lower-middle class people of the mid-atlantic & southeastern US, White : Black :: NASCAR : Looney Tunes. It's a direct gloss. They're even usually the exact same jackets underneath the giant CNC embroidery.

By: flotson

flotson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:08:34 -0800

I'm really hoping that this thread won't go by without us making some sense of the issues here. Lest this point be lost, I believe that what ozomatli has been trying to say is that these ads are effectively reaching their audience. This is authentic urban style, not lame corporate posing. I think a lot of people find this funny because they think they're seeing a collision of very disparate elements. In fact, this is not the case. Hence, it's true: there's a culture gap on mefi. This is not a sin, so let's not get all defensive about it. The point of this enterprise is discourse and learning, right?

By: noway

noway — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:18:19 -0800

Some of the comments here would suggest: White hipsters wearing corporate logos in the late 90s: ironic. Black hipsters wearing corporate logos in the late oughts: silly. Niche market nostalgia: touching. Mass-market nostalgia: repulsive. That a "LOLCAT white privilege" thread is nearby is so meta, so circumlocutory, it feels like a mental short circuit.

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:01:06 -0800

This is authentic urban style, not lame corporate posing. Can't it be both? Whenever I see someone decked out in huge logos, I think of some rich asshole laughing his way to the bank.