Cereal ads under a mascot ban: One Minute Briefs creatives dream up alternatives
What would cereal advertising look like without mascots? That was the question One Minute Briefs challenged its creative community to answer last week when Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson told advertisers that using mascots to sell high-sugar cereal was "grossly irresponsible".
Labour pledges sugary cereal mascot ban
Watson said if brands didn't act now to stop the practice and commit to reducing the risks associated with childhood obesity, then his party would introduce regulation if it took power in the next general election.
From Coco Pops' Coco the Monkey to the fuzzy Honey Monster, characters and children's breakfast cereal have, for decades, come hand-in-hand.
While picturing a world in which cereals are represented by their ingredients,(instead of endearing monkeys or rabbits) may seem unimaginable to some, The Drum and One Minute Briefs challenged creatives to envision what brand messaging would look like if Labour's pledge to ban mascots actually transpired.
Creatives across the UK rose to the challenge, and below is a selection of the best responses, including tobacco packet-esque wrapping and parental advisory warnings.
If you've been inspired by the One Minute Brief community's alternative ads, check out The Drum's Chip Shop Awards, which are now open for entry.