Imagine walking into your local grocery store in the early 1900s, and instead of handing over cash for a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, you give the grocer… a wink! That’s right, there was a time when all it took to score a free box of the famous cereal was a flirty little flutter of your eyelid.

Here’s how it happened:

In 1906, Kellogg’s was eager to promote their new, crispy creation – Corn Flakes. But, with many families sticking to their traditional breakfast choices, the company needed a way to grab people's attention. Enter the Wink at Your Grocer Campaign, one of the quirkiest marketing stunts ever seen in the grocery world.

Kellogg’s ran ads instructing women to wink at their local grocer, who would then reward them with a free box of Corn Flakes. It was a bold move, especially for the time when winking at someone, particularly a grocer, could cause quite a stir!

But why the wink? The campaign was designed to create intrigue and conversation—just think of the gossip it would have sparked in small-town America! Women who dared to wink not only got a box of Corn Flakes, but they also became part of a playful, secretive buzz. Grocery stores were suddenly filled with smiling ladies, playful glances, and the sound of free cereal being handed out left and right.

The wink wasn’t just about free cereal; it was Kellogg’s clever way of getting Corn Flakes on breakfast tables across the country, and it worked! People were talking about Corn Flakes—and not just because of the taste. The playful, cheeky campaign helped establish Kellogg’s as a household name, and Corn Flakes became a breakfast staple.