Dropping Phelps May Have Hurt Kellogg Image

Ad Age reports that cereal company Kellogg may have taken a hit for its decision to drop Michael Phelps after the bong photo fiasco.

Vanno, a website that follows 5,500 companies, compiles its reputation index by capturing "gossip, news, opinion and personal insight about companies and their reputations" submitted by users that it converts into numerical scores and rankings. Its figures shows Kellogg, which was ranked an impressive No. 9 in January, fell to No. 16 after announcing its peanut-butter-related recalls. But the company fell to No. 68 after letting Mr. Phelps go…According to Vanno, Kellogg has since fallen to 83.

I don't know how valid Vanno's reputation tracking formula is, but it's at least encouraging to see the company's rank go down rather than up.

Prior Reason coverage of Phelps here.

Comments

[Cab]

Good. And to support Speedo for not dropping him, I went out and bought a pair. (I'm not wearing the damn things though)

[Episiarch]

Let's have a vote: which is better, Cocoa Krispies, Cocoa Pebbles, or Cocoa Puffs?

Hah, trick question! It's Count Chocula.

[Pro Libertate]

Chocolate in cereal is an abomination. You will burn, Episiarch, burn in the Chinese Hell of Being Eaten Alive by Snap, Crackle, and, Indeed, Pop!

[David]

The drug warrior's spin will explain the drop as Kellogg's association with Phelps causing people to lash out at them when the bong photo scandal hit.

[John Thacker]

The drug warrior's spin will explain the drop as Kellogg's association with Phelps causing people to lash out at them when the bong photo scandal hit.

Indeed, they'll argue that dropping him was necessary to "save or create" reputation. Even though it didn't create reputation, it saved all that additional reputation that would've been lost if they'd kept him, right?

[David]

Chocolate in cereal is an abomination.

You're half-right, PL, but the reason you feel that way is because these cereals are "chocolately", which in the words of George Carlin, means "No Fucking Chocolate!".

[Episiarch]

Chocolate in cereal is an abomination. You will burn, Episiarch, burn in the Chinese Hell of Being Eaten Alive by Snap, Crackle, and, Indeed, Pop!

You are merely exposing your failure of culinary imagination. Chocolate cereal is eaten as a dessert, not a breakfast. See?

[Juanita]

We all need to buy as much Kellogg's products as we can. We need to let them know that we support their stand on the evils of marijuana and the degenerates that are addicted to it and want to push it onto our kids.

[Juanito Jr.]

Please push it onto me Mr. Phelps!

[Pro Libertate]

Said to the man who conceived haggis ice cream? Ha! I think it is you who will pay for your lack of imagination!

[kwais]

Cool, my boycott of Kellogs paid off. Cool

[Naga Sadow]

Gristle is healthy? Insightful.

[chris.ez]

I've been buying Wegman's brand raisin bran since they dropped him.

[Warren]

Now we need another company signs Phelps and have it pay off for them. Then the only thing that could make this any better is if Phelps reverses his apology and agrees to be the poster boy for a "Winners smoke dope" campaign.

chris.ez,
Wegman's brands are as good as the next, but Wegman's stores are the market. Ever been to the flagship in Pittsford NY? Gold plated fixtures in the lavatories. I heard they got one in NJ even bigger.

[ed]

I don't know how valid Vanno's reputation tracking formula is

It's all about wishing for it to be valid. Like the Nielsen ratings system. That this secretive priesthood still controls billions of dollars in ad revenues--and influences the strategies of political organizations and administrations--with such a tiny sampling of viewership, is astonishing.

[Urkobold?]

FOOLS! YOU KNOW NOTHING OF REVENGE AND RETRIBUTION! THE URKOBOLD IS DEFYING KELLOGG'S BY SMOKING FROSTED MINI-WHEATS AND SENDING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS NEW SCOURGE ON OUR CULTURE.

[J sub D]

Fuck Tony the Tiger. Everything they sell I can and will purchase from a different company.

[kevrob]

Maybe Phelps can could endorse these?

Kevin

[Naga Sadow]

You expect me to eat . . . Post cereal? Pish posh!

[stuartl]

I don't know how valid Vanno's reputation tracking formula is

It's all about wishing for it to be valid. Like the Nielsen ratings system. That this secretive priesthood still controls billions of dollars in ad revenues--and influences the strategies of political organizations and administrations--with such a tiny sampling of viewership, is astonishing.

The more valid and important statistic is -- what is happening to their sales?

[ed]

Yep. A dollar vote is a valid vote.

[Jeff P]

The Coco Puffs bird: coke addict.
Tucan Sam: gay.
Snap, Krackle, Pop: Gay polyamorists.
Cap't Crunch: Shanghais children into dangerous sea adventures and exposes them to life-threatening ordeals with pirates.
Frankenberry: gay undead abomination in the eyes of god.

[JB]

I haven't bought a Kellogg's product since and don't plan on it in the future.

[Paul]

This has been studied before, and historically companies that don't stick by their endorsements after a scandal do worse. How scientific or accurate the conclusions are, well, that's up to discussion.

[J.R]

I guess they neglected to account for the millions of stoners who dive into kellogs brand cereals when they get the munchies.

[Scott]

Looks like another of Phelp's deals has fallen through...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-02-25-phelps_N.htm

I don't know what's more insulting: that it was his alleged pot smoking that caused this decision, or that Martin Sheen was chosen to replace him.

[Invisible Finger]

Phelps should be endorsing Baked Lays.

[Budd]

"Invisible Finger | February 26, 2009, 6:37pm | #
Phelps should be endorsing Baked Lays."

I agree wholeheartedly. Nothing is better than getting laid baked.