Later this month, Kellogg's will showcase a new TV ad by Leo Burnett, which will feature a group of real women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of up to 29.
Overweight women's BMI is classified as between 25 and 29.9, compared to healthy weight between 18.5 and 24.9.
The move marks a major strategic shift from Kellogg’s, as Special K is a flagship product and the brand is synonymous with aspirational ads featuring slim women in red dresses and swimsuits.
Kellogg’s says the move is designed to encourage women to think about some of the other positives they will gain when they lose weight, rather than just focusing on what they look like or what size they are.
According to Nielsen, Special K is the second biggest selling cereal in the country, with sales of £119.4m in 2011, behind Weetabix with sales of £135.1m.
In 2004 Unilever's Dove used overweight women in its advertising.
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