Trix

Trix

Type	Breakfast cereal
Current owner	General Mills
Country of origin	United States
Related brands	Kix
Markets	World
Website	http://www.sillyrabbit.millsberry.com/

Trix is a brand of breakfast cereal made by General Mills for the North American and by Nestlé for the European, South American and Asian markets. The cereal consists of fruit-flavored, sweetened, ground-maize pieces. These were originally round cereal pieces, but were later changed to puffed fruit-shaped pieces. In January 2007, Trix Cereal company General Mills returned Trix cereal to their original shape.

Overview

The cereal was first introduced to stores in 1954. In 1992 Trix replaced the original round balls shape with fruit-shaped pieces. Five new fruit shapes and colors were added over the years: Grapity purple (1984-1995),^[1] Lime green (1991), Orange Apple Crunch (1997), Wildberry blue (1998-2006), and Watermelon (1999). In 1995, the cereal pieces were given a brighter and more colorful look. General Mills' Yoplait division produces a Trix-branded yogurt also marketed to children with sweetened fruit flavors such as "Watermelon Burst".^[2]

Marketing and advertising

Joe Harris created the Trix Rabbit, an anthropomorphic cartoon rabbit who debuted in a 1954 Trix television commercial. In subsequent commercials, this rabbit would continually try to trick children into giving him a bowl of Trix cereal. He would be discovered every time, and the kids would tell him that he was a silly rabbit and that "Trix [were] for kids," and take back their cereal. These ads would often end with the Trix Rabbit following up the kids' "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!" with "...and sometimes, for tricky rabbits!". However, he did occasionally succeed in obtaining and eating the Trix on some occasions, including a box top mail-in contest is held entitled "Let The Rabbit Eat Trix.^[3] The results were an overwhelming "yes", and the rabbit is depicted within an ad campaign to finally have a taste of Trix.^[3] Children who voted received a button based their siding in the election.

The rabbit's popularity has led him to appear in some other commercials, as well, such as a Got Milk? advertisement. The Trix rabbit was referenced by Carlton Banks in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "Boyz in the Woods", where Carl expresses sadness and disgust of the childrens' treatment of the rabbit.^[4][5] The Trix rabbit has also been referenced in Family Guy, in the episode "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do", during an "Asian Trix" advertisement where one among three Asian children tells an Asian version of the rabbit, "Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids!". The rabbit angrily responds "You share!" before attacking the three children and running off with their box of Trix.^[6]

However, not all reception for the Trix rabbit has been positive. AOL named the Trix rabbit one of the "20 Most Annoying Pitchmen and Mascots".^[7]

References

External links

• Official website