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Teenage advert star victim of online death threats
Last updated at 17:52pm on 05.09.06
Teenage advert star hunted by cereal killers
A teenage actor who received internet death threats for his despised role in a Frosties advert has broken his cover to hit out at the hate campaign.
The 15-year-old, who can only be identified as Sven for his own safety, appeared alongside cartoon tiger Tony in the much-hated commercial.
In it, he sings a repetitive jingle as he leads a gang of children around a town while performing a wacky dance.
After it was launched, irate internet users posted messages such as 'He's a revolting despicable child - he deserves to die' and there were even rumours he had killed himself.
But angry Sven has now hit back from his home in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He snapped: "Can't these fools distinguish between me and a character in an advert?"
Since the advert was first screened four months ago one lads mag has even pictured him with rifle-sight crosshairs on his forehead.
And internet surfers have made cruel threats such as 'The Frosties kid deserves the death penalty', 'Death to the Frosties child', 'That kid deserves to die' and 'The kid deserves to get bullied to death'.
Sven, who is a talented gymnast and is in his country's Olympic development programme, admitted filming the advert had been irritating.
He said: "If you think watching the ad was annoying you should have tried working on it.
"It was so irritating hearing the jingle over and over again. After five days I was going up the wall."
The actor was told by a friend about the internet backlash to the advert, although the commercial has not been screened in South Africa.
He added: "I had a look on the net and was so surprised. Why would people want to humiliate someone they don't even know? I was given a charcater to portray - it's not who I really am.
"I'm not going to go out and commit suicide because of things people are saying."
Kellogg's, who tried to stop media interviews with Sven, defended the controversial advert.
A spokesman said: "The vast number of consumers like the ad. It's been a great success."
But one person who the advert won't persuade to change breakfast cereal is Sven who loves Coco Pops.
Reader views (8)
I liked the advert....It's a bit stupid for people to hate him because of a tv advert. He agreed to do it because he wanted to be on tv; you would of taken it if it was offered to you. He didn't know that people was going to start wanting him dead for it did he!? Cause he didn't know how stupid half of england are. So he was in this advert; get over it. No need for him to go into hiding for it.
- Lisa, england
I lost my son last summer. At just turned 19 he was killed by a selfish hateful drunken driver (his so called girl friend)who showed no remorse.
10 months later my father in-law and my own father died.
My wife is so close to a break down its scary, and I'm not doing much better.
And now we hear the girl who killed him is being allowed out for 3-5 days at a time to break up her massive 12 month sentence (of which she's expected to serve 4-6 months).
It's pathetic that people are threatening a lad because of a TV ad! Do you not have a life? Is that the most upsetting thing in your world?
You're all so very lucky!
- Darkling, Derby, UK
I think you have all missed the point. The reason people hate that boy is not that we believe that he is the character in the ad, just that he agreed to make the ad even though it was the most annoying thing ever screened. Moreover, the real painful feature of the ad is that it is marketing at it's lowest point. The lyrics to the song are simply lots of words which rhyme with great, despite them not having anything to do with Frosties. That really demonstrates the laziness and stupidity of marketing executives to make the most obvious and point missing advert that they possibly can. And if they can't make a good advert, then they make an annoying one so it sticks in your head. What gits.
Also I think Sven doing gangsta rap hand movements at the end of the ad promotes gun violence.
- Justin, London, UK
I had to look this up because of the suicide rumour that was actually going around my son's school. I've never heard anything so ridiculous, the boy's an actor playing a part, the same people that condemn would probably also be the same people thoroughly enjoying some child movie star in a big blockbuster film doing equally inane things and think nothing of it.
Death threats/Suicide, is serious, it affects 100's of people each year and bullying, teasing, can often be a cause.
I'm not an advert freak and loathe many, but this particular ad is great, it's vibrant and alive and shows kids having a great time (even though I'm sure it's really hard work doing it and becomes less fun the more you do it).
For the things that have happened as a result of it I think people should find better things to do with their time, they obiously lead sad lonely lives.
- Mojodawn, England
If people don't want to hear it, turn the channel when the commercial comes on. Be real people. he's just a young boy.
- Ashley, Ohio, U.S.A
Come on now!! I love this advert and so does my 4 year old nephew. Grown adults should be acting like adults and realise this is just an advert! The boy is not harming anyone - if you dont like the advert then simply turn it over. I have never read anything so ridiculous! With all the other stuff going on in the world this is just a minor thing!
- Dee, London, UK
The Frosties kid has probably just earned hundreds for pratting around on TV. He doesn't really deserve this kind of harrasment, what is the point?
The advert is generally aimed at children, so I say the harrasers are acting like children. Shame to you all!
- Matt, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
People who personally attack the young man in the ad are mean and vindictive. As he says he is just doing his job and doesn't deserve such vehement abuse. I actually like the ad and I'm sure Kelloggs dont mind the publicity as it gets their product noticed.
- James Cameron, London UK
