EP10 – The Truth Behind the Kellogg’s Marketing Lie

Episode Summary

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day… or is it? In this episode of Marketing Made Clear, we dive into one of the greatest marketing myths of all time – the Kellogg’s breakfast lie. We uncover how a clever marketing campaign turned a corporate sales strategy into an unquestioned ‘scientific truth,’ influencing generations of consumers.

From the industrial revolution to 1950s cereal commercials, we explore the history of breakfast, the role of Edward Bernays in shaping morning eating habits, and how brands like Kellogg’s and McDonald’s have kept breakfast at the centre of consumer culture. Using real studies and historical insights, this episode breaks down whether skipping breakfast really harms your health – or if it’s all just another marketing ploy.

Key Takeaways

• Breakfast wasn’t always a daily necessity—many historical societies didn’t prioritise it.
• The phrase ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ originated from a 1944 cereal marketing campaign.
• Dr. John Harvey Kellogg promoted bland foods like Corn Flakes to ‘curb indulgences.’
• Many ‘scientific studies’ backing breakfast were funded by the food industry.
• There’s no conclusive evidence that skipping breakfast leads to weight gain.
• Fast food giants like McDonald’s capitalised on breakfast as a profitable meal category.
• Edward Bernays (the father of propaganda) played a key role in marketing bacon and eggs as an essential breakfast.
• The U.S. and UK cereal markets are worth billions—proving the commercial power of breakfast.
• Recent research suggests intermittent fasting can be just as healthy as regular breakfast consumption.
• The belief in breakfast’s necessity is an example of marketing shaping public perception.