Cereal brand's hilarious celebrity billboards go viral

What do Serena Williams, Dwayne Johnson and Michael Jordan have in common? They're all big fans of the same high-protein, zero sugar, keto-friendly, plant-based cereal, apparently.

Surreal cereal has dropped a hilariously audacious billboard campaign featuring glowing endorsements from the above celebrities and more. Except they're not celebrities – just normal folk who happen to share their names. (Looking for more advertising inspiration? Check out the best print ads of all time.)

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In bold typography and pleasing pastel hues (think Oatly, only less annoying), the billboards feature simple lines such as 'We're Dwayne Johnson's favourite cereal'. But look a little closer, and you'll see a (much smaller) byline offering a clarification ("Dwayne is a bus driver from London.") 

“We’re buzzing to be the official cereal of a Dwayne Johnson and a Serena Williams. If anyone knows a Dave Beckham, please get in touch," Surreal co-founder Kit Gammell said.

The ads have proven a hit on Twitter (above), with users loving the sheer audacity of the campaign. "What a fresh idea, kudos to the marketing team," one user comments, while another adds, "Low-budget creative – love it."

Indeed, the best billboard ads are designed to make viewers double-take, and Surreal's effort is definitely up there with KFC's Ikea billboard and that incredible sun-powered Dracula poster. For more awesome examples, take a look at the best billboard ads.

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