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Honey Monster may be secret Sunderland fan

Mar 1 2009 by James Marley, Sunday Sun

HE became an honorary Geordie and Kevin Keegan’s star striker. But could the Honey Monster have been a secret Mackem all along?

A new video advertisement sees the yellow monster in a spoof gym workout, and at the end he strips off his tracksuit top to reveal the red and white stripes of Sunderland AFC.

Few fans will forget the mid-90s ad campaign that saw former Toon manager Keegan and the Honey Monster become the faces of Sugar Puffs.

Keegan is seen sitting in a television studio at the old Wembley Stadium saying: “The game was heading for extra time. I just had to get the big man off the bench.”

Then the Honey Monster comes on in the famous black and white shirt to score the winner and the pair exchange high-fives as they leave the pitch.

The advert became a classic but caused regional controversy which saw sales of Sugar Puffs plummet in Sunderland, as Black Cats fans boycotted the breakfast favourite in protest.

Makers of the cereal, Honey Monster Foods, are now hoping Wearsiders will embrace the brand 16 years after the Keegan campaign with the internet ads.

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