Wheaties

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Courtesy General Mills

Name
Wheaties
Designer
Anonymous
Client
Washburn Crosby Company
Date
1924
Disciplines
  • Branding
  • Food Design

Although originally introduced as Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes by the Washburn Crosby Company in 1924, the name Wheaties was the result of an employee contest won by Jane Bausman. Early on the cereal was associated with sports through advertising on Nicollet Park’s minor league baseball field for the Minneapolis Millers. It’s tagline, The Breakfast of Champions, was penned by Knox Reeves, of a Minneapolis advertising agency when asked what should be placed on a large billboard at the park for the cereal. The distinctive orange box emblazoned with the images of various sports champions has become an enduring legacy of the brand, now owned by General Mills.