Wheaties
Work:
Advertising and Copywriting
Advertising and Copywriting
Role:
Copywriter
Copywriter
Programs Used:
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word
When challenged to ideate a new copywriting campaign for the 100 year old brand Wheaties, my first thought revolved around the cereal’s iconic tagline “Breakfast of Champions”. Though Wheaties is known for adorning its cereal boxes with superstar athletes such as Michael Jordan, I couldn’t stop thinking about the everyday consumers of the brand. It was then that I decided that Wheaties isn’t just “The Breakfast of Champions”, Wheaties is “for the up-and-comers too”.
Brand Copy
Brand: Wheaties
Tagline: For the up and comers too.
BREAKFAST FOR LOSERS
For the people who told themselves today, but pressed snooze three times. For anyone whose new year’s resolution led to a March back injury. For those of us who looked into the mirror and said, “I’m going to be on the Wheaties box”, but gave up training for that half-marathon once they realized they weren’t as easy as they looked.
If you’re reading this and thinking, yeah, I’m a loser,
Wheaties is for you. You were gonna live at the gym, run at 6:00 AM and be
biting your marathon medal by now, but we both know, that was ridiculous. Take
it easy. Start with Wheaties. You can handle that. We might be the breakfast of
champions, but champions lose a lot at the beginning.
Wheaties – For the up and comers too.
Radio Copy #1
Brand: Wheaties
The Personal Coach
:30 | The Half-Marathon
In this spot, we can hear Coach, a man not entirely different from the ninth-grade gym teacher you loathed in high school, trying to motivate his client to continue training for the upcoming half-marathon.
We are immediately startled by the barking of coach, whose angry and disappointed demeanour wakes his client.
COACH: You have got to be kidding me! I arrive at 6:00 A.M. sharp, like we agreed to, and I find you sound asleep? Not only that, I watch you press snooze on three of your alarms?
An alarm can be heard beeping as the client yawns. His feet hit the floor as he starts to get ready.
COACH: Why are you putting your shoes on? Are you about to stretch? We’re not going out to train for that marathon yet! You haven’t had your Wheaties!
We hear limbs being overstretched, as the client crashes to the floor.
CLIENT: I give up...
COACH: What do you mean you’re giving up? It’s a half-marathon! Look at this box of Wheaties. You don’t deserve it! Look right there- it says, “Breakfast of Champions”. But with sorry “athletes” like you eating them, it should say “Breakfast for LOSERS!”
Coach’s continued shouting fades out.
NARRATOR: Don’t listen to him. Wheaties isn’t for losers. And it’s not just for champions! Wheaties my friend, is for the up and comers too.
Radio Copy #2
Brand: Wheaties
The Personal Coach
:30 | The Back Injury
In this spot, we can hear Coach, a man not entirely different from the ninth-grade gym teacher you loathed in high school, watching in awe has he praises the most determined, regimented basketball client he has worked with in years.
COACH: Yes! Yes! This is unbelievable! I have finally found my prodigy. You are going to be the next basketball legend!
The squeaking of sneakers can be heard as the client dribbles the basketball across a gymnasium floor. Coach blows his whistle, signalling for the client to take a break.
COACH: Alright, bring it in! I’ve got some Wheaties for you.
Before heading to the sideline, the client shoots one last shot. After releasing, he falls to the floor, screaming in pain. The basketball bricks off the backboard, missing the net. Coach runs over with the box of Wheaties.
COACH: Hey, everything is alright! We’ll just get you up, you’ll be okay!
The client tries to get up but can’t, wincing in pain. Coach realizes what has taken place, and his positive demeanour turns sour.
COACH: Are you kidding me! You tore your ACL? Why do all bad things happen to me! You were my first client to not sleep in! You were confident, daring, incredible. It is such a shame that you turned out to be such a failure!
CLIENT: But coach, I-
Coach cuts his client off, continuing to rant in anger.
COACH: See this box of Wheaties? You don’t deserve it! Look right there- it says, “Breakfast of Champions”. With that injury of yours, I guess you’ll never be one! Then they would have to call Wheaties the “Breakfast for LOSERS!”
CLIENT: Coach, I need an ambulance...
NARRATOR: Don’t listen to him. Wheaties isn’t for losers. And it’s not just for champions! Wheaties my friend, is for the up and comers too.
TV Spot Copy
Brand: Wheaties
:30 | The Nagging Sports Broadcaster
In this spot, we see Sports Broadcaster sitting at an announcer’s booth as he tries to encourage High School Student to eat his Wheaties cereal.
We open on a close-up of a ringing alarm clock.
SFX: Beep! Beep! Beep!
We cut to High School Student, who slams the snooze button on the alarm clock, half asleep.
MVO: Ouch!
We cut back to the alarm clock; however, we now see Sports Broadcaster sitting at an announcer’s booth in its place.
MUSIC CUE: Upbeat music that would normally accompany sports highlights segments seen on television, under and throughout.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: What’d you do that for kid? Someone must not have had their Wheaties yet.
High School Student yawns.
We cut to the bathroom, where High School Student brushes his teeth. Sports Broadcaster sits behind him at the announcer’s booth.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Have you had your Wheaties yet?
High School Student lets out a barely audible response while brushing his teeth.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No.
We cut to the outside of the bathroom, where the shower can be heard running. Sports Broadcaster sits at his announcer’s booth beside the door.
SFX: Knock, knock, knock.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Had your Wheaties yet?
High School Student shouts from the bathroom.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No!
We cut back to High School Student’s bedroom, where he is pulling an athletics hoodie over his school uniform.
Sports Broadcaster pokes his head in the door frame.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Ha-
High School Student cuts him off. The upbeat music comes to a halt.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No! I haven’t had my Wheaties yet!
We cut to the foyer of High School Student’s home. He is about to head out the door to school when he sees Sports Broadcaster. Just as Sports Broadcaster is about to speak, we hear a new voice.
MVO: Hey!
The scene cuts to black for a beat, revealing High School Student back in his bed. He is awoken by a box of Wheaties hitting him on the head, presumably thrown by Father, who is standing in the doorway. His interactions with Sports Broadcaster must have been a dream.
FATHER: How do you expect to grace the cover of that box if you don’t wake up and get to practice!
MUSIC CUE: Upbeat music that would normally accompany sports highlights segments seen on television returns, under and throughout.
We cut forward in time to High School Student eating a bowl of Wheaties in his bed. Father sits on a chair nearby, eating from a bowl as well.
SUPER: Wheaties: For the up and comers too.
MVO: Wheaties. For the up and comers too.
Radio Copy #1
Brand: Wheaties
The Personal Coach
:30 | The Half-Marathon
In this spot, we can hear Coach, a man not entirely different from the ninth-grade gym teacher you loathed in high school, trying to motivate his client to continue training for the upcoming half-marathon.
We are immediately startled by the barking of coach, whose angry and disappointed demeanour wakes his client.
COACH: You have got to be kidding me! I arrive at 6:00 A.M. sharp, like we agreed to, and I find you sound asleep? Not only that, I watch you press snooze on three of your alarms?
An alarm can be heard beeping as the client yawns. His feet hit the floor as he starts to get ready.
COACH: Why are you putting your shoes on? Are you about to stretch? We’re not going out to train for that marathon yet! You haven’t had your Wheaties!
We hear limbs being overstretched, as the client crashes to the floor.
CLIENT: I give up...
COACH: What do you mean you’re giving up? It’s a half-marathon! Look at this box of Wheaties. You don’t deserve it! Look right there- it says, “Breakfast of Champions”. But with sorry “athletes” like you eating them, it should say “Breakfast for LOSERS!”
Coach’s continued shouting fades out.
NARRATOR: Don’t listen to him. Wheaties isn’t for losers. And it’s not just for champions! Wheaties my friend, is for the up and comers too.
Radio Copy #2
Brand: Wheaties
The Personal Coach
:30 | The Back Injury
In this spot, we can hear Coach, a man not entirely different from the ninth-grade gym teacher you loathed in high school, watching in awe has he praises the most determined, regimented basketball client he has worked with in years.
COACH: Yes! Yes! This is unbelievable! I have finally found my prodigy. You are going to be the next basketball legend!
The squeaking of sneakers can be heard as the client dribbles the basketball across a gymnasium floor. Coach blows his whistle, signalling for the client to take a break.
COACH: Alright, bring it in! I’ve got some Wheaties for you.
Before heading to the sideline, the client shoots one last shot. After releasing, he falls to the floor, screaming in pain. The basketball bricks off the backboard, missing the net. Coach runs over with the box of Wheaties.
COACH: Hey, everything is alright! We’ll just get you up, you’ll be okay!
The client tries to get up but can’t, wincing in pain. Coach realizes what has taken place, and his positive demeanour turns sour.
COACH: Are you kidding me! You tore your ACL? Why do all bad things happen to me! You were my first client to not sleep in! You were confident, daring, incredible. It is such a shame that you turned out to be such a failure!
CLIENT: But coach, I-
Coach cuts his client off, continuing to rant in anger.
COACH: See this box of Wheaties? You don’t deserve it! Look right there- it says, “Breakfast of Champions”. With that injury of yours, I guess you’ll never be one! Then they would have to call Wheaties the “Breakfast for LOSERS!”
CLIENT: Coach, I need an ambulance...
NARRATOR: Don’t listen to him. Wheaties isn’t for losers. And it’s not just for champions! Wheaties my friend, is for the up and comers too.
TV Spot Copy
Brand: Wheaties
:30 | The Nagging Sports Broadcaster
In this spot, we see Sports Broadcaster sitting at an announcer’s booth as he tries to encourage High School Student to eat his Wheaties cereal.
We open on a close-up of a ringing alarm clock.
SFX: Beep! Beep! Beep!
We cut to High School Student, who slams the snooze button on the alarm clock, half asleep.
MVO: Ouch!
We cut back to the alarm clock; however, we now see Sports Broadcaster sitting at an announcer’s booth in its place.
MUSIC CUE: Upbeat music that would normally accompany sports highlights segments seen on television, under and throughout.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: What’d you do that for kid? Someone must not have had their Wheaties yet.
High School Student yawns.
We cut to the bathroom, where High School Student brushes his teeth. Sports Broadcaster sits behind him at the announcer’s booth.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Have you had your Wheaties yet?
High School Student lets out a barely audible response while brushing his teeth.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No.
We cut to the outside of the bathroom, where the shower can be heard running. Sports Broadcaster sits at his announcer’s booth beside the door.
SFX: Knock, knock, knock.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Had your Wheaties yet?
High School Student shouts from the bathroom.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No!
We cut back to High School Student’s bedroom, where he is pulling an athletics hoodie over his school uniform.
Sports Broadcaster pokes his head in the door frame.
SPORTS BROADCASTER: Ha-
High School Student cuts him off. The upbeat music comes to a halt.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: No! I haven’t had my Wheaties yet!
We cut to the foyer of High School Student’s home. He is about to head out the door to school when he sees Sports Broadcaster. Just as Sports Broadcaster is about to speak, we hear a new voice.
MVO: Hey!
The scene cuts to black for a beat, revealing High School Student back in his bed. He is awoken by a box of Wheaties hitting him on the head, presumably thrown by Father, who is standing in the doorway. His interactions with Sports Broadcaster must have been a dream.
FATHER: How do you expect to grace the cover of that box if you don’t wake up and get to practice!
MUSIC CUE: Upbeat music that would normally accompany sports highlights segments seen on television returns, under and throughout.
We cut forward in time to High School Student eating a bowl of Wheaties in his bed. Father sits on a chair nearby, eating from a bowl as well.
SUPER: Wheaties: For the up and comers too.
MVO: Wheaties. For the up and comers too.