Crisis at Kellogg’s: CEO Offers ‘Cereal for Dinner’ Economic Advice
By Thomas Mustac for PRNews
A fascinating case study on crisis communications is currently unfolding in the cereal aisle. It involves Kellogg’s, the global brand that brings Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies and other cereal staples to supermarkets around the world.
The crisis stems from a Kellogg’s marketing campaign, launched nearly two years ago, that suggested families could add some variety to their dinner menu by enjoying cereal from time to time. And if the heat does not die down, it looks like the crisis could escalate to a boycott of the brand that is largely being promoted, tongue-in-cheek, by the Let Them Eat Cereal website.
A recent CNBC interview with Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick led to the current crisis apex, in which he suggested “cereal for dinner” was “much more affordable” than other dinner options. In the days that followed Pilnick’s comment, social media lit up with criticism.
Many of the comments prompted by Pilnick’s interview cast Kellogg’s in the role of a greedy corporation that was out of touch with consumer needs. Within a week, a three-month boycott, proposed on TikTok and slated to take effect on April 1st, 2024 was announced.
It appears Pilnick’s comments shifted the “cereal for dinner” campaign’s focus from menu options to financial advice for poor families. Whether that was his intention or not is irrelevant—it’s how the public perceived it, and they quickly made it clear they didn’t appreciate it.
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