Beauty and the bran: Kellogg’s campaign to “correct faulty elimination” and conquer the cereal industry

Abstract

Brothers John Harvey Kellogg and William Keith Kellogg understood the importance of public health concerns, particularly those relating to constipation, and of home economics and dietetics research. The Kellogg’s Corn Flake Company’s investment into home economics became integral to the brand itself and helped establish Kellogg’s as a leader in addressing the growing dietary health concerns of the early twentieth century and in the breakfast food industry. The Kellogg’s Corn Flake Company used “reason why” advertising appeals for its bran cereals to teach consumers about the connections between eating bran and health. While the campaigns changed over time, the main focus of eating bran to prevent constipation remained consistent. The company’s success today can clearly be traced back to its original efforts to address health concerns through advertisements that taught women how to use bran cereal as both a curative and preventative food for constipation and related symptoms. Perhaps more significantly, the Kellogg’s Company’s Home Economics Department influenced early dietary standards established by the government for both the American public and military.