Oatmeal Crisp - Advertising

Advertising

It once sported the slogan "But it's not oatmeal", but more recently General Mills has switched to several new gimmicks, including the reverse psychology-based "But you won't like it" campaign. To promote Psycho IV: The Beginning, Anthony Perkins reprises his role as Norman Bates talking about how he always does what his mother tells him, but could never eat Oatmeal until he found Oatmeal Raisin Crisp. Although the character's name wasn't mentioned throughout the commercial, it was hinted that he was Norman Bates: the cupboard in which the cereal was in is where he kept the Strychnine, he kept his spoons next to his butcher knife and when he spouts the original slogan "look Ma, I am eating my oatmeal" the Camera pans away to Mother saying "Now that's a good boy." in a sinister tone and panning back to Norman with a shocked expression on his face as if he wasn't imitating her this time.

A commercial from August 2006 has a father putting a 'G' before the name to make Goatmeal Crisp. However, in one shot, the 'G' is missing.