advertising

While Corn Flakes is a slightly less than exciting cereal choice, they have a pretty bloody exciting history. The answer to ‘Why Corn Flakes were invented’ will, quite literally, blow your bloody pants off. But first, a bit about John Harvey Kellogg: the namesake of the popular cereal brand and Corn Flake creator. Old mate Kellogg was a Seventh-day Adventist who was allegedly against the very idea of fun. Context is important here. Okay Okay So, Why Were Corn Flakes Invented? According to Dan Snow, a popular British historian, John Harvey Kellogg invented Corn Flakes in the 1800s to “stop people masturbating.” Yup, nothing will stop people from helping themselves out like a flakey corn cereal… As a doctor and devout Christian, Kellogg was against masturbation. He wrote a book that stated clearly that the act of pleasuring yourself is a “heinous sin”, “self-pollution” and “the most dangerous of all sexual abuses”. In fact, Kellogg was against the sexual activity of all kinds and didn’t even consummate his own marriage. He sounds like a fun time! Kellogg believed that “the most simple, pure and unstimulating diet” could prevent one’s urges to masturbate Enter: Corn Flakes. Plain. Boring. Dry. Definitely not an exciting food. Okay, that’s not really why Corn Flakes were invented. The real reason was to treat hospital patients suffering from indigestion. In 1894, seventeen years after publishing his book which condemned masturbation, John Harvey Kellogg created Corn Flakes and marketed it as the “most nutritious and healthful of all cereals.” Still, it’s no surprise that this boring old doctor managed to produce the most boring cereal in the history of the world. Source: www.novafm.com.au/lifestyle/food-drink/were-corn-flakes-a...

Yes, 1808

www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/0711/1495830-elephant-house-du...

"Stephen Polito (also known as Stephano, Stephani and Stephanus Polito; 1763/64–1814) was a menagerie owner of Italian descent in Georgian England.
Polito was born in Moltrasio, Italy. He owned a menagerie which he toured around England in the late 18th century. He went into partnership with another menagerist named Miles in 1798, and "Miles and Polito's Menagerie" exhibited at St Bartholomew's Fair in 1799. Polito's menagerie also attended Nottingham Goose Fair in 1807. ... ...

From - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Polito

Staffordshire pottery flat back mantelpiece ornament, c. 1830 of the Menagerie of the Polito family. V&A Museum

Early 1908, a notice with similar wording appeared in Saunders's News-Letter on Tuesday 26 January 1808.

Mr Pollito had been in Briston in September 1807.

The adverts in Saunders News-letter continued until 14th May 1808, At some point between 26th January and 4th March the admission price was reduced to "One British Shilling".

So some time between 26th early January and 4th March 1808.

There is another one in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Via Simon Wilkinson who includes a bit of history -

Of course, the Zoo didn’t open until 1831, so these were great novelties

Dancing biscuits attract the attention of customers. An interesting commercial approach. Fairy wings, fairy music, and fairy taste.

Apart from bringing a former luxury food within the budget of working class households, Arnott's success was built on clever branding and advertising. The Milk Arrowroot 'Living pictures' campaign, which used customers' snapshots of their children, is perhaps the best-known example. As a result, Arnott's is one of a small number of brand names to gain a spurious association with Australian history and culture (others include Foster's, Holden and Vegemite), an association which has in turn been exploited in Arnott's advertising. The 1997 takeover of the company by US conglomerate Campbell's consequently inspired a degree of controversy. Because of its 'Australian' associations, Arnott's packaging and other artefacts are sought after by collectors and others. The Powerhouse Museum holds a large collection of Arnott's artefacts and in 1991 presented an exhibition on the company's history. Unlike some other manufacturers, Arnott's signage was not notable for innovation or striking graphic design, relying instead for its appeal on bold sign-writer's lettering and one of the most recognisable Australian trademarks. This sign is an excellent example of the genre. As the work of a sign-writer, rather than a lithographer or printer, the sign is also valuable as an example of this medium. Although sign-writing was the main form of advertising graphics for many decades, it is less well represented in graphic design collections than printed graphics. Charles Pickett, Curator, 2007 Source; collection.maas.museum/object/363575