The Creepy Truth Behind your box of Coco Pops

Ever wandered down the cereal aisle at your local Pak n’ Save feeling like all eyes are on you? Today’s slightly creepy marketing fact is that actually, that’s because they are.

It won’t come as a shock that everyone’s favourite cereal box characters - like Snap, Crackle and Pop, Coco the Coco Pops monkey, and the Honey Puffs bee, have been designed to directly target our children. Obviously the point of a cute cartoon mascot is to appeal to kids, but there’s much more to it than that.

Looking at these characters, what’s the one thing they all have in common (cheesy grins aside)? Their eyeballs have been drawn at a downward angle in order to ‘lock eyes’ with passing children, to invoke a feeling of connection, loyalty and friendship ( = brand trust).

When that warm, gooey feeling of ‘know, like, trust’ is achieved, the chance of those children wanting (demanding) that box of sugary goodness increases significantly - and that kicks pester power in to action.

As a marketer, I understand the psychology behind brand mascots, product packaging and placement, but as a human being (and a mother who spends a large proportion of life shepherding children through shops), the whole thing feels a bit sneaky and let’s be honest, yuck.

If anyone in fresh produce would like to start drawing a set of downward facing eyeballs on cauliflower and broccoli however, I’d be all for it.