Kellogg's Faces Pro-Phelps Backlash

Fans launch boycott, slam company with wave of complaints
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 10, 2009 7:27 AM CST

Kellogg's decision to drop Michael Phelps’ sponsorship deal has created an angry wave of would-be cereal killers, the Baltimore Sun reports. A Facebook group urging consumers to boycott the company has hit 5,000 members and is growing fast. Pro-marijuana groups are also calling for a boycott, labeling the company's attitude "hypocritical and disgusting." Kellogg’s has set up a special phone line to handle the flood of complaints.

Phelps says he called all his other sponsors to apologize after the bong photo went public, but he wasn't able to get through to anybody at Kellogg's despite four days of trying. The swimmer told the Sun that he can see the funny side of some of the humor directed at him now that the paparazzi attention has died down—although he still isn't ready to commit to swimming in the 2012 Olympics.
(More boycott stories.)

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