Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes 1982 Animation Cel: Calorie Counting Crows

 

In 1982, there was a commercial for a short-lived cereal called Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes.  The ad featured a hand drawn, orange crow in a live action world---and a cheeky, modified version of "Turkey in the Straw" that seemed to delight in playing with the word "Nuts".  I was able to acquire a hand painted animation cel from this commercial for $59.  I believe the Crow was animated by Murakami Wolf Swenson, an animation studio famous for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and also quite a bit of commercial work for Kellogg's in the 1980s, including a Raisin Bran Cel that I also bought.  These cels are pretty meticulously made, as they feature painted shading directly on the cel.

I remember a lot of things from 1982, but I don't remember this commercial.  Thankfully, it exists on YouTube.

This ad kind of seems like a Saturday Night Live skit---almost like a parody of the Cocoa Puffs Cuckoo Bird, Sonny.  The Crow also appeared in print media for the cereal, but apparently not on the cereal boxes.  Honey & Nut Corn Flakes lasted a few years, but the Crow was short lived.

Bully for Bugs Bunny: Vintage Looney Tunes at Six Flags Magic Mountain

In 1985, the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters became the mascots of Six Flags parks across the United States, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.  Among the souvenirs available in the 1980s and early 1990s were these branded, colorful PVC figural keychains of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.  These were made by Bully/Bullyland in Germany.  Daffy Duck still has his Bullyland sticker on his cane.

Bully figures are a big collector's item, and were primarily sold in Europe.  Bully made figures for all sorts of well known licensed characters, both American and European.  As far as I know, Looney Tunes Bully figures were only sold at Six Flags parks.  Similarly, Bully Disney characters were only sold at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Tweety Bird and Bugs Bunny seem to have the most variations of all the Bully figurines during this time period.  Bully Looney Tunes figures were also sold at my home park, Six Flags Over Georgia.  I remember seeing them, but never got them.  I presume these were sold at other Six Flags locations as well.  I've never been to Magic Mountain.  I found these for sale online just a few days ago.  I don't remember if the keychains sold in Georgia had any Six Flags branding on them.

These Looney Tunes buttons were sold at Six Flags Over Georgia starting in 1985.

While the Looney Tunes joined Six Flags in 1985, their association with the chain goes back to 1976, when they were the mascots for Marriott's Great America in Gurnee, Illinois (and Great America in California).  Six Flags bought Great America in Illinois and Bugs and his friends were inherited by Six Flags and expanded to other locations.  A lot of this early merchandise was adapted from Great America.  Six Flags Over Georgia even sold some Great America branded merchandise in the early 1980s.

In December 2025 it was announced that Six Flags Magic Mountain will be getting a new Looney Tunes Land in 2026.  So That's Not All, Folks!