Why did Kellogg's drop Michael Phelps?

Many will remember Michael Phelps on the cover of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes back in 2009. In fact, it was such a popular image that many 2000s kids associated the idea of the historical swimmer with the brand.

However, it disappeared rather quickly owing to a great scandal that completely changed the image of the 23-times gold medalist in the public eye.

Phelps was first accused in the News of the World of smoking a marijuana pipe after images of the superstar swimmer surfaced in the UK Tabloid newspaper. This led to a widespread controversy which saw Phelps become a figure of much debate.

Kellogg's Co. announced soon after this incident that they will not continue their relationship with Phelps, stating that his behavior was not consistent with the brand image of the company.

Michael Phelps has since then whitewashed his image to a great degree and remains one of the most celebrated Olympians of all time, if not the most.

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What happened between Michael Phelps and Kellogg's?

Kellogg's dropping Michael Phelps was a far bigger event than it seemed. After the controversy surrounding Phelps smoking a marijuana pipe, Kellogg's became the first company to drop an association with the swimmer. Phelps signed with Kellogg's after his eight-medal haul at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Kellogg's signed him for an exclusive deal for his face on Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes. While this became an extremely successful branding decision, the company decided to pull out following the swimmer's controversial behavior that became public in 2009.

Susanne Norwitz, Kellogg's spokesperson, said in a statement:

"We originally built the relationship with Michael, as well as the other Olympic athletes, to support our association with the US Olympic team...Michael's most recent behaviour is not consistent with the image of Kellogg's. His contract expires at the end of February and we have made a decision not to extend his contract."

This was a tough time for the swimmer who did not beat around the bush and admitted that the photo that surfaced in the tabloids was not fake. He also publicly apologized for his 'regrettable' behavior.

At the time, Phelps was making over $5 million a year from endorsements from brands like Subway, Visa, Speedo, Hilton Hotels, and Omega watches. No other brand terminated Phelps' contract based on the new development.

Phelps' agent, however, announced that this controversy had opened up new avenues to exploit. He declared how Michael Phelps' new image can be used to endorse other brands that seek the "bad boy" side of the Olympian. He said in a statement:

"There's a real opportunity to exploit Michael Phelps' new 'bad boy' image...Sure, he disappointed millions of kids, but now he can be embraced by a completely new demographic. We’re looking into other deals with Manny’s Late Night drive-thru; Weed Magazine wants to do a cover. We’re in talks with Speedo on a hemp fabric swimsuit. We’re taking this in a whole new direction."

Many fans and locals reacted positively to the new image of Michael Phelps, claiming how this dynamic suited the Olympian. However, this was a blow for the star swimmer as he was suspended from competition for three months. The Kellogg's controversy continues to delight fans years after the incident.