First introduced in 1965, Kellogg's Apple Jacks cereal have had numerous different mascots for their advertising campaigns. The most well-known were introduced in 2004: a Jamaican cinnamon stick named CinnaMon (voiced by Jeffery Anderson-Gunter in most ads; replaced by Jonathan Adams in the "Cinnamon Jacks" ad) and an apple named Apple (originally "Bad Apple"; voiced by Tim Dadabo).
The premise of the ads was simple. Every time a bowl of Apple Jacks is poured, CinnaMon races to it so he can give it a cinnamon flavor, but the Bad Apple attempts to sabotage CinnaMon so he can flavor the cereal himself, usually resorting to underhanded tactics that always backfired. As the narrator points out "Apple Jacks doesn't taste like applesnote because the sweet taste of CinnaMon is the winna-mon!"
These ads, while well-received by viewers, drew quite a bit of controversy. Health food organizations objected to the Apple character being portrayed as a villain, believing this would discourage children from eating fruit. As such, the company was on the verge of retiring the characters in 2007, but instead decided to Retool them into Friendly Rivals racing to see who could reach the bowl first, with both of them making it into the bowl instead of just CinnaMon.
While no new ads depicting the characters have been made since 2013, they have continued to serve as mascots for Apple Jacks to this day. Due to concerns of racial stereotyping, CinnaMon was renamed "Cinnamon" and his beanie, dreadlocks and eyebrow piercing were removed. In 2022, both Apple and Cinnamon were redesigned completely.
Tropes
- All Just a Dream: One early commercial (back when Apple was a bad guy) shows Apple putting CinnaMon in a cage and happily giving a bowl of Apple Jacks apple flavor. Then it turns out he was just dreaming and completely missed the cue to go for the next bowl. (Observant viewers will notice much of the scenery is apple-shaped, hinting at this reveal.)
- Art Evolution:
- After his Heel–Face Turn, Apple became a much more vibrant shade of red. Before, he was a paler red with green near his stem. His facial features were also changed to make him look less menacing.
- In the late 2010s and early 2020s, CinnaMon would gradually lose his Jamaican features. First he lost his dreadlocks, then his beanie and eyebrow piercing. His sandals were also replaced by a pair of red and white sneakers.
- Both were redesigned completely in 2022, given much simpler designs altogether.
- Character Catch Phrase: "Here I come, I am CinnaMon!" for CinnaMon.
- Characterization Marches On: The earliest commercials portrayed Apple as a villain trying to stop CinnaMon from getting to the bowl of Apple Jacks, with CinnaMon ultimately prevailing. After parents and health experts condemned the ads for potentially discouraging kids from eating fruit, Apple and CinnaMon were retooled into competitive friends racing to the bowl, with both of them making it in.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: Back when he was Bad Apple, Apple would try to stop CinnaMon from getting to the bowl using dirty tactics. They always backfired and CinnaMon would still be the "winna-mon".
- Circling Birdies: Happens to Apple in one commercial- but instead of birds, it’s small versions of CinnaMon.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Aside from Apple being a villain in the early ads, CinnaMon didn't acknowledge Apple at all, only CinnaMon would make it to the bowl and the narrator would point out how Apple Jacks don't taste like Apples (after Apple became a good guy, it would be said that the cereal was flavored with both apple and cinnamon).
- Evil Laugh: Frequently done by Apple when he was a bad guy.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Apple's Heel–Face Turn was cemented in the "Crashers" saga, when a failed base jump resulted in Apple and CinnaMon being fused together. Forced to work together to reach the bowls of Apple Jacks, they developed a friendlier relationship that remained even after they managed to separate.
- Friendly Rivalry: Apple and CinnaMon's relationship shifted from an antagonistic one to this following complaints from health organizations over a healthy food being portrayed as a villain.
- Heel–Face Turn: After receiving complaints from health food companies regarding the Apple being the bad guy, Apple's antagonistic behavior was dropped and he and CinnaMon became friends.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: One commercial sees Apple disguise himself as CinnaMon in an attempt to get him to stop going for one of the bowls. Not only does it not work, but Apple doesn’t put any eyeholes in the costume, and winds up crashing into a mailbox.
- Portable Hole: The second ad has Apple use one of these to slow down CinnaMon. CinnaMon lands on a subway and jumps through a grate in front of Apple to regain the lead and win.
- Spot the Imposter: One of the ads for the "Apple Clones" variant has Apple get lost among dozens of clones, with CinnaMon unable to determine which one is the real Apple. Kids were enticed to go to the official website in order to help CinnaMon find the real Apple.
- Unknown Rival: What Apple was to CinnaMon back when the former was "Bad Apple". CinnaMon didn't hardly acknowledge Apple's existence.
- Widely-Spaced Jail Bars: In the commercial where Apple has apparently captured CinnaMon, the bars on the cage are wide enough for CinnaMon to squeeze through, but he never tries. Somewhat justified due to it being All Just a Dream.
