7 Shocking Secrets About CinnaMon: The Apple Jacks Cinnamon Guy’s True Identity And Controversial Redesign

The Apple Jacks Cinnamon Guy, officially known as CinnaMon, is one of the most recognizable and beloved cereal mascots in modern advertising history. Since his introduction in the early 2000s, this animated cinnamon stick has been the face of Kellogg's iconic breakfast cereal, constantly battling his frenemy, Apple, in a quest to keep the delicious cinnamon-flavored O's safe from the apple-flavored one. As of December 15, 2025, the character remains a central figure in the brand's marketing, though he has recently undergone a major, and highly controversial, visual update that has divided the internet and long-time fans.

The enduring mystery surrounding the character—from his distinct voice and Jamaican-inspired persona to the recent changes to his appearance—continues to drive massive curiosity. This deep dive reveals the hidden facts, the talented actors who brought him to life, and the corporate decisions that reshaped one of the most iconic cereal duos in the Kellanova portfolio.

The True Identity: CinnaMon's Biography and Voice Actors

The character known affectionately by fans as the "Cinnamon Guy" is formally named CinnaMon. He is an animated cinnamon stick with a distinct, Rastafarian-inspired look and a smooth, island-accented voice, which was central to his original charm and topical authority.

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• Official Name: CinnaMon
• Role: Co-Mascot for Kellogg's Apple Jacks Cereal (now under Kellanova)
• Introduction Date: 2004
• Co-Mascot: Apple (originally "Bad Apple" from 2004 to 2007)
• Original Iconic Look: Featured dreadlocks, a relaxed demeanor, and a Jamaican-style accent.
• Core Slogan/Campaign: The ongoing campaign revolves around the idea that the cereal does not taste like apples, leading to the famous line, "We eat what we like," as CinnaMon and Apple attempt to eat the cereal despite Apple's confusion.
• Primary Voice Actor (Original): Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter
• Secondary Voice Actor (Also Credited): Jonathan Adams
• Voice of Co-Mascot Apple: Tim Dadabo

1. The Man Behind the Voice: Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter

The character's memorable and distinctive voice, a key element of his personality, was primarily provided by Jamaican-born actor Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter. Gunter, born on September 17, 1946, is a respected actor who brought a genuine Caribbean flavor to the animated cinnamon stick. His work as CinnaMon cemented the mascot's unique identity in the competitive world of breakfast cereal advertising. The voice helped establish CinnaMon as the cool, laid-back counterpart to the frantic and perpetually confused Apple.

2. The Other Voice: Jonathan Adams

While Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter is most often credited, American actor Jonathan Adams is also cited as one of the voices of CinnaMon. Adams is a prolific actor known for his roles in live-action television, including playing Henry Walker on American Dreams and Dr. Daniel Goodman on the hit series Bones. This dual casting is not uncommon in the voice acting industry, where multiple actors may voice a character across different campaigns or time periods, adding another layer of complexity to the CinnaMon entity.

3. The Cereal's Surprising Corporate Shift: Kellanova

For decades, Apple Jacks was a flagship product of the Kellogg Company. However, in 2023, the company split into two separate entities. The North American cereal business, which includes Apple Jacks, Corn Flakes, and Froot Loops, was spun off into a new company named Kellanova. This means that CinnaMon and Apple are now mascots for Kellanova, not the original Kellogg's brand, a crucial update for anyone tracking the business side of the cereal industry.

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The CinnaMon Mascot Redesign Controversy

One of the most talked-about and divisive topics concerning the Apple Jacks mascots in recent years is the complete visual overhaul they received. The redesign, which became widely noticed in late 2022, dramatically altered CinnaMon's appearance, sparking an immediate backlash from long-time fans who loved the original, quirky aesthetic.

4. CinnaMon Loses His Signature Dreadlocks

The most significant and controversial change to the CinnaMon character was the removal of his distinctive dreadlocks. The original CinnaMon was known for his Rastafarian-inspired look, which included the dreads, a skateboard, and a generally chill, counter-culture vibe. Fans quickly noticed and complained that the new design looked "generic" and stripped the character of his unique cultural identity. The change was seen by some as an attempt to "de-Rastafy" the character, a move that alienated a segment of the audience that appreciated the character's original, more complex design.

5. The Internet's Reaction and Vailskibum's Callout

The controversy gained significant traction when prominent animation vlogger Vailskibum publicly complained about the redesign of the Apple Jacks boxes in November 2022. This public callout ignited a wider discussion across social media platforms like Reddit, where fans lamented the loss of the "cracked out apple and Jamaican cinnamon stick" aesthetic. The consensus among many fans was that the redesign made the mascots look like "every other updated mascot... like complete shit," highlighting a broader trend of companies simplifying or modernizing classic character designs with mixed results.

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The Enduring Legacy of the Apple Jacks Campaign

Despite the redesign, the core premise of the Apple Jacks advertising campaign remains one of the most successful and memorable in cereal history, consistently reinforcing the brand's unique selling proposition: the great taste of cinnamon, not apple.

6. The "We Eat What We Like" Philosophy

The central theme of the modern Apple Jacks campaign, which began with the introduction of CinnaMon and "Bad Apple" in 2004, is the complete lack of apple flavor in the cereal. The campaign humorously pits the two mascots against each other: Apple (often frustrated and confused) tries to understand why kids eat the cereal that doesn't taste like him, while CinnaMon (cool and unbothered) simply enjoys the cinnamon-flavored loops. The tagline, "We eat what we like," became an iconic phrase, a simple yet powerful message that resonates with the target audience's desire for independence and flavor preference.

7. A History of Mascot Evolution

CinnaMon and Apple are just the latest in a long line of Apple Jacks mascots, demonstrating the brand's constant evolution and topical authority. The very first mascot, dating back to the cereal's introduction in 1960, was the simple "Apple Guy," a character made out of an apple with a hat. This was quickly followed by the "Apple Car." In 1971, the brand introduced the "Apple Jack Kids," a singing animated boy and girl duo, before eventually settling on the CinnaMon and Apple duo that has dominated the airwaves for the past two decades. The constant shifting of mascots proves that while the cereal’s formula is a classic, the brand is always looking for fresh ways to connect with new generations of consumers, even if it means sparking a little controversy along the way.

The story of the Apple Jacks Cinnamon Guy is a fascinating case study in modern branding. CinnaMon’s identity is not just tied to his animated form, but to the talented voice actors like Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter and Jonathan Adams who gave him life, and the corporate entity, Kellanova, that now manages his image. While the 2022 redesign may have stripped him of his signature dreadlocks, the character’s legacy as the king of cinnamon taste and the face of the "We eat what we like" slogan remains firmly established in pop culture.