Mr. T Cereal was a sweetened breakfast cereal manufactured by the Quaker Oats Company. The cereal was prepared with corn and oats as primary ingredients, and was fortified with iron and B vitamins. The cereal box had a cartoon likeness of Mr. T on the box as the cereal's mascot. The cereal was manufactured in the shape of the letter "T". It has been described as being similar in flavor to Cap'n Crunch cereal.
Contents
History
Mr. T Cereal debuted in 1984 and was a popular cereal in the 1980s. The cereal was the first licensed ready-to-eat cereal manufactured and marketed by the Quaker Oats Company.
Advertising and marketing
Elements of marketing and advertising for Mr. T Cereal were geared toward children, per the popularity of Mr. T's media appearances such as in The A-Team and Rocky III. The cereal was manufactured with a significant amount of sugar, which is appealing to children. Promotions for the cereal have included television advertisements and a stand-up cardboard cutout that was used in supermarkets. Catchphrases for Mr. T Cereal included "Team up with Mr. T, It’s cool" and "I pity the fool who don’t eat my cereal".
Promotions
A cereal box prize consisted of a packet of Mr. T. stickers, which were packaged inside boxes of the cereal.
Collectibility
Some collectors have collected Mr. T. Cereal, and some collectors have retained unopened boxes of it with the cereal still in the box.
In popular culture
Mr. T Cereal appeared in the film Pee Wee's Big Adventure, in which Pee Wee Herman held a box of the cereal and stated "I pity the poor fool that don't eat my cereal." After this, Pee-wee opened the box and poured the cereal over a dish of eggs and pancakes. It is part of the "I pity the fool" catchphrase that Mr. T popularized at the time. In the scene, Pee-wee impersonated the sound and style that Mr. T used when stating the line.