Three cheers for SPECIAL K, the 54-year-old cereal brand from Kellogg! Come on, who doesn’t know about the “Special K Challenge,” right? I bet at some point in your life, regardless if you’re a woman or man (although 65 percent of its consumers are women), you tried it. Now, just in time for the new year, here comes a refreshing twist that takes the concept to a whole new level. And it’s a good one. (Have you caught the new TV ads yet?)

Today’s advertising column in The New York Times, Pitching a Product, Without Showing It by Andrew Adam Newman reviews Special K’s latest advertising effort …which is an excellent example of a brand that knows who it is, understands its customers inside and out, and is embracing the new marketing normal: authenticity. As Newman points out, Special K unveiled a new ad campaign this week featuring 6 real women they found while doing consumer research describing fitness goals. The campaign, which even though is essentially about weight-loss, isn’t about the “end result” from dieting, but rather reveals the vision these real women have at the beginning…how do they want to see themselves? What are their challenges? What’s really important? In one woman’s case, she wants to show her young daughter “that mommy feels confident.”

Six different spots blanketed the airwaves during the national morning television news shows, and what makes the campaign, in my opinion, incredibly fresh and unique is that not once do you see a logo or product shot.  Unlike Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, the Special K ads are not about featuring “idealized women.”

Leo Burnett, Chicago produced the commercials. And despite the rather predictable problem/solution set-up, the execution works incredibly well throughout.

Quoted in the NY Times piece, Jose Alberto Duenas, vice president for cereal marketing in the U.S. at Kellogg, said showing no Special K products or logo in the ads was unprecedented for the brand.

“We’re trying to be faithful to giving real women a place to declare victory without the piece feeling overwhelmed by what the brand brings to the table,” Mr. Duenas said. “If you want to make a connection, you have to give consumers a chance to take part of the spotlight. Authenticity is what we’re looking for.” Bravo.

There’s even a new website that goes more in-depth on the personal stories of these women, and features resources, tips and information designed to help women plan their own victory. What I like about this even more is that it’s an integrated effort, a mix of traditional spots on TV and an online component that’s interactive, and user-friendly. It’s meant to surround the consumer, yes, but in a softer way that isn’t all about “look how cool my brand is” and more about “we’re a brand that gets you, we’re a brand that puts you first.” The follow-through is flawless.

From a branding perspective, I love this campaign.  It’s relatable, it’s inviting, it’s not slick. It’s not perfect. Even better, as the marketing world is all a-Twitter about social media and the role that “being authentic” plays, here is Kellogg taking it a step further. They get it, and they aren’t afraid to embrace it. Remember, this is a brand that’s been around for 54 years! They are doing all the necessary work to stay in touch with today’s consumers, and taking the steps –bold ones, even — to stay relevant in their lives. Special K, as a result, is more than just a cereal to the consumers who purchase it. It’s their “weight-loss partner” or their “self-confidence booster” — it’s the “healthy lifestyle” brand. As Newman’s article points out, they take a soft sell approach with incredible appeal, and thus, rejuvenated the brand to have real meaning. We can all learn from that. I wish Kellogg the best with their brave efforts. Looking at your business and marketing plan for 2010, are you taking bold steps or baby steps on the path to authenticity?

P.S. Can you take a guess as to what will be on my grocery list this weekend?