Watch These Fake Frosted Flakes Commercials Before Kellogg Takes Them Down
Two weeks ago, a YouTube channel called "Tony is Back!" was born. It claims — in a series of three commercials — that the Frosted Flakes mascot is now here to help the adults who grew up eating his nutritious cereal. Unfortunately, Tony is no longer any sort of role model.
Each of the three commercials functions like a brutal and disturbing garden-path joke, made plausible by the production value, "They're Grrrrreat!" tagline, and inclusion of one obviously trademarked and highly-protected mascot/spokestiger. Even stranger, the channel created a website and a hashtag (tonyisback.com and #tonyisback, respectively). The site, like the commercials, looks professional enough to fool an average person. Many of the links point back to the official Kellogg website.
The first of the three commercials involves Tony — using the vitamin-packed of Frosted Flakes — helping a disheartened prostitute rediscover enthusiasm for her work.
Next, a police officer who's being pressured into abusing his power makes the decision to assist his partner in assaulting a woman after a balanced-breakfast "brings out the tiger" in him.
The final commercial opens on a woman who's face is mottled with bruises. Tony apparently coached her beforehand on how to engage in suicide bombing, although blessedly the aftermath is left to the imagination.
Astute viewers might realize that the john from the first commercial is the cop in the second, and the suicide bomber in the third is the victim of police brutality in the second. The description accompanying each video reads: "I've helped so many kids to solve their every day problems over the years. I contacted ten people who were children 30 years ago in my Frosted Flakes commercials, and asked them what their problems are now in their 40's." Presumably Tony will continue the cycle of pay-it-forward style violence in the next seven installments unless Kellogg shuts the channel down first — and honestly, why the hell wouldn't they?
