April 3, 2025: Spring Auction
This is a stunning, nonsport treasure, a Hollywood artifact promoting (mostly) the legendary stars of the silver screen in a Kellogg’s cereal promotion from nearly a century ago. The colorful 19-by-16-inch poster on white paper stock presents in outstanding fashion while perhaps technically Good from some tiny tears that barely detract from the presentation. And what a presentation it is, with breathless ad copy explaining how youngsters can “Get Real Glossy Photos” of the stars, along with a collector album, noting that one photo was included in every box of Kellogg’s Pep Cereal, which may have tasted better than it sounds. Photo cards of Hollywood and sports luminaries Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred McMurray, Charley Trippi, Tony Zale and Hedley Lamarr are featured to wonderful effect. Pep Cereal, the company’s primary competitor to Wheaties, was unveiled in 1923, and around the time of this giddy ad copy had become the first breakfast cereal fortified with Vitamins B and D. That may have helped boost sales, but I'll betcha sponsoring radio programs in the era featuring Superman and Tom Corbett – Space Cadet helped more.
1930s Kellogg’s Pep Cereal Advertising Poster
Click above for larger image.