The Weetabix Gang

The Weetabix as seen in British comic book advertising. Fifteen prints adverts dated between 1982 – 1988.

‘The Weetabix’, often referred to as ‘The Weetabix Gang’, were five comic characters based on British skinheads, and were created for a highly successful advertising campaign for breakfast cereal Weetabix. It’s hard to believe that these biscuit-shaped, brace-wearing characters – Dunc, Bixie, Bryan, Brains and Crunch – managed to capture the hearts, and breakfast bowls, of the British public in the huge way that it did, considering the negative attitudes that were often levelled at skinhead culture.

‘The Weetabix’ featured throughout almost the entire 1980s in TV and comic book adverts. Some of the promotions tied in with well-known crazes of the decade such as video games, BMX and breakdancing, and even captured the spirit of the white tee-shirt and slogan fad, which was popular with fans of bands such as Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Wham!.

Ultimately ‘The Weetabix’ became a brand unto themselves, offering a vast range of merchandise via ‘The Weetabix Club’. Items ranged from clothing and patches to books and badges, lunch boxes, school and sports bags, stationery, an AM radio, an alarm clock, a Corgi licensed die cast truck, and many other items featuring the five characters and their catchphrases.