Kelloggs Corn Flakes: Teenager

1957
Sound
1m

Teen beat commercial, directed by Joseph Losey.

Kellogg's get groovy and down with the kids in this teen beat advert. Whether the brand's attempt to engage with youth culture comes off is a matter of opinion but it did utilise significant behind-camera talent. The ad was made by Joseph Losey, who frequently supplemented his income as a major feature filmmaker by directing commercials under producer Leon Clore. Kellogg's was a frequent Clore client.

The Kids Are Alright: Youth Culture on Screen

Teds, mods, rockers, punks, goths, ravers, hoodies, emos... The 20th Century phenomenon of ‘youth culture’ is a dynamic expression of identity, with its hands on music, fashion, language and generational change.

Since the ‘rowdy generation’ of the 1950s, teenagers and youth culture have been defined from the outside and from within. Young people proclaim their social identity through style, music and the spaces they occupy – which also makes them a visible target, and they become a bellwether (or scapegoat) for the state of the nation.

To the establishment, they are a source of anthropological curiosity and hand-wringing moral panic – as well as a key commercial audience, whether for consumer products, political movements or radio and television programming. An obsession with youth against mistrust and misunderstanding; attitudes towards the young are full of contradictions.

Today, youth culture is online, in a vast expanse of communities and identities. The internet has enabled a ‘pick n mix’ approach to music and fashion, while allowing local scenes to set trends globally, and giving young voices the platform to speak – loudly – for themselves.