Pot Activists' Kelloggs Boycott Has Impact

By Jeralyn, Section Economy
Posted on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 08:35:02 PM EST
Tags: Michael Phelps (all tags)

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A few days ago I wrote about the call by marijuana reform advocates to boycott Kellogg's cereal for having canceled Michael Phelps' sponsorship deal.

The New York Times reports on the impact of boycott.

In one sign of the campaign's impact, the Phelps saga took precedence over the tainted peanut butter outbreak in the recorded reply on Kellogg's consumer hot line Tuesday.

''If you would like to share your comments regarding our relationship with Michael Phelps, please press one to speak to a representative,'' said the recording. ''If you're calling about the recent peanut butter recall, please press two now.''

[More...]

The activists' position:

''It's not just that Michael Phelps did what millions of other twenty-somethings do,'' said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. ''It's that he did what over one hundred million Americans have done at least once in their lives, including the president, former presidents, members of the U.S. Congress and Supreme Court.''

From Saturday Night Live:

On Saturday Night Live, Seth Myers questioned whether marijuana use was in fact at odds with Kellogg's image.

''Every one of your mascots is a wild-eyed cartoon character with uncontrollable munchies,'' Myers said. ''Every one of your products sounds like a wish a genie granted at a Phish concert.''

Kelloggs is the only company to cancel a Phelps deal due to the bong photo.

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Pot Activists' Kelloggs Boycott Has Impact | 18 comments (18 topical)

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Well, Kelloggs makes cereals for children, mostly, (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by Angel on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 08:45:04 PM EST

I think. And toking on a reefer or taking a hit from a bong isn't what Kelloggs wants the kids who like/want their products to emulate. Nothing wrong with the Kelloggs cancellation. Phelps was being paid to endorse a product and the maker of the product has decided that the endorser no longer shares their values. I don't see the problem. And before anyone piles on about how everyone has smoked a joint, etc., etc., that is not what the discussion should be about. Kelloggs has absolutely no control over whether pot is legal or illegal; their position is about their product and endorsement of it. Any shareholder should agree with their position and their dicision to cancel Phelps' contract.

My 21 yr old pot smoking son (none / 0) (#2)
by Burned on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 09:02:47 PM EST

eats his weight in Kellog's cereals every night after working a twelve hour shift.
Maybe they should do a poll. :)


: Pot activists lol. (none / 0) (#5)
by Salo on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 09:21:41 PM EST

an apparent contradiction, but your one pulls some nasty sounding shifts.

Munchies! (none / 0) (#4)
by Salo on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 09:19:21 PM EST

I bet the big consumers of cereals are pot heads.


Kelloggs, like most legal drug pushers (none / 0) (#6)
by Ben Masel on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 10:16:44 PM EST

has long been a major funder of the drugWar's propaganda arm, the Partnership for a "Drugfree' America.


Everybody must get stoned..... (none / 0) (#12)
by Rojas on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 05:46:35 AM EST

Perhaps a little reefer might help us hold our breakfast when exposed to the unrighteous indignation of the "doing it for the children" hypocrites. Assuming you aren't too numb to care any more.

Objectively, a share holder might ask how in the hell the management team at Kelloggs rated Peanut Corporation of America "superior" while they were filling the supply chain with poisoned food stocks. One might ask, what the hell were those guys smoking?

One might ask the management team about due diligence. They don't need no stinking "due diligence". They've got a get out of jail free card, a third party audit paid for by PCA. Besides, jail isn't for those folks. They live in a world separate and detached, behind the corporate shield. Jail is for bong hitters and hot check writers who ply their craft without letters of incorporation.

We bought this system, in which the bottom rail is stacked precisely on the top, from the soap sellers who knew we'd buy anything if it was "for the children".


A-Rod, Kobe Bryant, and Phelps co-star (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by ding7777 on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 07:17:01 AM EST

in a TV commercial for Activision's Guitar Hero World Tour - What next? A Ted Bundy resurrection for a toothpaste ad?

we are here! (none / 0) (#3)
by Salo on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 09:18:26 PM EST

we drink your beer!

But won't eat your Cornflakes!

Can I boycott (none / 0) (#7)
by CoralGables on Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 11:41:09 PM EST

Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes and keep eating Pop Tarts? They are a staple during morning drive time.

Well That's It (none / 0) (#8)
by kaleidescope on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 12:01:44 AM EST

Next time I get unreasonably hungry for something sweet, I won't be reaching for, say, Sugar Frosted Flakes or anything else made by the Kellogg conglomerate. I'll go for a dozen or so chocolate chip cookies instead.

"Don't Turn Out Like Mike" event (none / 0) (#9)
by Cream City on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 12:52:21 AM EST

planned by pro athletes in my town, per an ad I saw tonight. Y'know, I really don't think pro athletes -- basketball, baseball, football -- oughta be lording it over Phelps, with the reputations of their sports. (And well-founded reputations in this town; one went down for lighting up in his home right in my neighborhood, where he was providing to students -- who had a lot less money for lawyers.)

Anybody else seeing such events and ads in their towns, pro sports towns? It had the look of something marketed nationally, making the most out of the Phelps incident to try to improve the image of others. Huh, maybe Kellogg's is the sponsor.

: Yeah kids... (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by kdog on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:24:17 AM EST

don't be like Mike...world renowned athelete at the pinnacle of his game, rich as a mofo, poster-boy for success earned through hard work.
That would be terrible! Don't strive for excellence when you grow up kids, don't pursue happiness...be a sober sheep. And if it gets you down, you can always rock the Prozac.

Maybe (none / 0) (#10)
by CoralGables on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 01:20:03 AM EST

Quaker Life cereal should sign him up now.

"He likes it! Hey Mikey!"

Kelloggs Products (none / 0) (#11)
by randy80302 on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 05:03:06 AM EST

Kelloggs cereals

All-Bran(R)
Apple Jacks(R)
Complete(R)
Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R)
Cracklin' Oat Bran(R)
Crispix(R)
CrunchTM
Crunchy Blends(R)
Eggo(R) Cereal
Froot Loops(R)
Frosted Flakes(R)
Frosted Mini-Wheats(R)
Fruit Harvest(R)
Honey Smacks(R)
Pops(R)
Product 19(R)
Kellogg's Raisin Bran(R)
Rice Krispies(R)
Smart Start(R)
Special K(R)

Kashi
GOLEAN(R)
Organic Promise(R)
Good Friends(R)
Mighty BitesTM
Heart to Heart(R)
7 Whole Grains

Pop-Tarts(R)
Pop-Tarts(R) Toaster Pastries
Kellogg's Go-Tarts!TM

Snack Bars
Kashi(R) Chewy Granola Bars
Kashi(R) GOLEAN(R) Bars
Kellogg's(R) CrunchTM Bars
Kellogg's(R) Crunchy NutTM
Sweet & Salty Bars
Kellogg's(R) Granola Munch'ems
Rice Krispies Treats(R) Squares
Special K(R) Bars

Breakfast Bars
All-BranTM Bars
Nutri-Grain(R) Cereal Bars
Nutri-Grain(R) Muffin Bars
Nutri-Grain(R) Yogurt Bars

Fruit Flavored Snacks
Fruit SteamersTM
Fruit TwistablesTM
Kellogg'sTM YogosTM

Fruit Leather
Stretch Island(R) Fruit Leather

On-the-Go Snacks
Gripz(R)
Rite BitesTM

Keebler(R) Cookies
Chips Deluxe(R) Cookies
E.L. Fudge(R) Cookies
Fudge Shoppe(R) Cookies
Golden Vanilla Wafers(R) Cookies
Sandies(R) Cookies
Soft Batch(R) Cookies
Vienna Fingers(R) Cookies

Carr's(R)
Carr's(R) Cookies

Famous Amos(R)
Famous Amos(R) Cookies

Murray(R)
Murray(R) Cookies
Murray(R) Sugar Free Cookies

Keebler(R) Crackers
Club(R) Crackers
Gripz(R)
Keebler(R) Grahams
Munch'ems(R) Baked Snacks
Town House(R) Crackers
Wheatables(R) Crackers
Toasteds(R) Crackers
Zesta(R) Crackers

Austin(R)
Austin(R) Crackers

Carr's(R)
Carr's(R) Crackers

SunshineTM
Cheez-It(R) Crackers
Sunshine Krispy(R) Crackers

Kashi(R)
Kashi(R) TLCTM Crackers

Natural
Worthington(R)
Loma Linda(R)
Organic
Morningstar Farms(R) Organic
Frozen
Eggo(R)
Kashi GOLEAN Waffles
Morningstar Farms(R)

Keebler

Keebler(R) Graham Crackers Crumbs
Keebler(R) Cones
Ready Crust(R) Pie Crust
Kellogg's(R) Stuffing Mix
Kellogg's(R) Corn Flake Crumbs

Well, that was short lived. (none / 0) (#15)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:24:31 AM EST

Today, Wednesday, there is no mention of Phelps on their hotline, only the peanut butter issue.

See for yourself:

Consumer inquiries should contact our Consumer Affairs Department at 800-962-1413.

Endorsement contract ends anyway (none / 0) (#16)
by KoolJeffrey on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:45:17 AM EST

Phelps' endorsement contract was expiring I believe this spring. Are we seriously asking Kellogg's to negotiate a new deal with a person who has put himself in a controversial position by engaging in illegal (yes, illegal) activity on video?

What if Phelps were underage and shown to be doing beer bongs at a party? Would you blame Kellogg's for not signing up Phelps again for that reason?

However, as a daily potsmoker, I would like to have seen that bong photo on the Wheaties box.

Video? (none / 0) (#17)
by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 12:03:53 PM EST

by engaging in illegal (yes, illegal) activity on video?

Did you add a touch of LSD to your daily dose of weed?


: You're right (none / 0) (#18)
by KoolJeffrey on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 12:39:43 PM EST

Maybe he didn't inhale.