In 1971, the company ended the campaign after people threatened to boycott the brand. In 2007, the company rolled out a new marketing campaign that made the new mascot, Ben, the chairman of the board. Additionally, while the website implies that Froot Loops practically invented multi-colored cereal, we're not so sure about the veracity of that claim. The white glove mascot featured a big smile and a red nose. But that, in fact, helps the food mascot's case compared to other entries. In 1995, the Walt Disney Co. introduced its most well-known logo. Over the years, the Arctic animal has remained a popular symbol for the soda brand. Think: Tony the Tiger and the Keebler Elves. According to the company, founders of the original business, Converted Rice, renamed their product after a Texas farmer known as Uncle Ben, who was famous for his rice. Alas, he was always to be defeated in his attempts, to the taunts of children saying, Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!. A sweet little cartoon bee accompanied advertisements and packaging for Honey Nut Cheerios for 20 years before he got a name. In terms of sheer recognizability, Ronald McDonaldmay have a legitimate claim to the top spot on this list, so his top 10 slot was never really in doubt. Over the years, this talented pitcher-about-town has surfed, jet-skiied, played guitar, and starred in his own comic book series and a computer game. Though they're best known as an inseparable trio, the best way to distinguish between them is by the hats they wear. debuted their friendly leprechaun mascot in the 1960s, commercials referred to him as Sir Charms. After all, to rise to the top of the cartoon cereal mascot tide without a well-known catchphrase is quite the accomplishment enough to rank in our top 15. General Mills rather rotund character was created in 1954 by Marvin Plotts, who was inspired by watching his son draw on a foggy window. The California Raisins recorded four albums their cover of "Grapevine" was a top 100 Billboard hit and were nominated for an Emmy Award. But when tasked with thinking about a fishing professional along the New England coast, the image of Gorton's famous mascot almost instantly comes to mind. A good brand mascot uses carefully chosen cues to use our intuition to convey . For a brief time in the 1970s, Lucky was replaced in New England by a since-forgotten mascot, . . Riks! Rather than create a simple list of well-known candidates, though because where's the fun in that? As it is, there's no shame in being the 11th best food mascot of all time. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Frankly, we can't say we're huge fans of Little Caesars food. In 1925, the Minnesota Valley Canning Company debuted the Green Giant, who was named after a large variety of pea. Mashed did some digging and uncovered the real reason many iconicfood mascots went away. As his business then called Fruit Industries, Inc. burgeoned, he figured out a way to extract water from juice for making frozen orange juice concentrate, which he dubbed "Tropicana.". However, theHouston Chronicle (via The Takeout) explained that the use of the word "uncle" was "a disparaging way to refer to Black men, in lieu of 'Mr.' With his trademark monocle and top hat, Mr. Peanut is easily the most pretentious food mascot on this list. Regardless of what's under the glove, General Mills'choice to spotlight southpaws with the mascot in 1977 should be celebrated. throughout the years, including a color change from pink to brown and the addition of a blue "N" to his chest. Though many guesses have been made as to who he is modeled after, the company claims the mascot is just a gentleman dressed in traditional Quaker attire. His name was Hector Boiardi, and he was born in Italy in 1897. In 2011, the cartoon mascot got a 3D animation. After all, a near-constant deluge of advertisements featuring Jack seem to be shown coast-to-coast. Poppin' Fresh (who actually has family members, too) earns bonus points for his body positive appearances. Charlie the Tuna is the hipster spokesfish for StarKist. Print Advertising Debut: 1954. In 1928, Gerber held a contest in search of a youngin' to represent its baby food. Look, if the image accompanying this slide a real-life parking placard for Ernie the Elf at Keebler's corporate headquarters doesn't perfectly illustrate the Keebler Elves' iconic status, we're not sure anything else will. Brand: Kool-Aid. Yet we were pleasantly surprised to discover that, according to its website, the Polar Bears have been representing the brand (at least on occasion) since 1922. Jack Box is the mascot for Jack in the Box. AP. This mouse mascot may share a name with the pizza and arcade chain but his full name is actually Charles Entertainment Cheese. Think: Tony the Tiger and the Keebler Elves. was Rudy Prez, a copywriter who worked for a Chicago-based ad agency in the 1960s. Beacuse when mascots get more popular than brand it causes a problem. The character was polished to perfection by commercial artist Frank P. Krize, Sr. Hes also one of the oldest mascots still in existence, changed very little in the 130+ years he has been around. Although Cheerios had been around since the 1940s. In February 2021, parent company PepsiCo announced the logo will be replaced with an image of a mill, and the brand name on the products will read Pearl Milling Company instead. Pizza!". We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. What makes Tony the Tiger rank so much higher than other cereal mascots? There's no other story; he just loves promoting the cereal. Source: Miscota. Marketing hasn't always been spot-on when it comes to food branding. We can't quite put our finger on it, but the brand satisfies our flavored milk cravings like no other and provides young consumers with a long-eared pal in Quicky the Bunny, to boot. Just three years after Trix hit grocery-store shelves, the Trix Rabbit began his lifelong quest to enjoy a bowlful of the fruity cereal. It was also revealed that Horatio Magellan Crunch is. With a clown mascot that rivals Stephen King's killer clown Pennywise, it's not surprising that Sugar Rice Krinkles failed to catch on. It's not just the long tenure of the Trix Rabbit, which dates back to 1959 (via General Mills), that places it higher than most other cereal mascots in our eyes. These are some branding decisions for which food companies have come under fire. The company had come under fire for using Native Americans as the face of a white-owned brand. Perhaps it's the character's fairly fascinating visual evolution through the years (via History Daily), or the strange image of an umbrella protecting a yellow girl from raining salt. This included (but isn't limited to) several music albums, an Emmy-nominated Christmas Special, and a Saturday morning cartoon (via Mental Floss). In 1959, Bear gave an animated touch for the mascot of Chocos which is breakfast cereal. Over the years, he became friendlier and greener, and the Minnesota Valley Canning Company was renamed the Green Giant Company. Many of your favorite fast food and store-bought eats have a brand mascot, which is typically some sort of cartoon character or other fictional being, like a leprechaun, elf or talking hamburger. But there's no denying the mascot's impact over the years, which even spurreda humorous faux obituary in HuffPost, in 2012, in light of Hostess' near closure. Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's, and Cream of Wheat all received backlash for their use of, This week, PepsiCo said it would be rebranding Aunt Jemima products as "Pearl Milling Company. Perhaps inspired by his success, Post took another stab at using a slightly less homicidal clown as their brand mascot in 1968 but the results were much the same as before. A year later, though, the NMAADC teamed with other Mexican-American advocacy groups filed a $610 million class-action suit for malicious defamation of every person of Spanish-speaking ancestry in the United States. In 1901, Cream of Wheat introduced its mascot, Rastus, a smiling Black chef. The character was created in the early 1970s by art director James Mackey. The identity of the subject was kept secret until 1978. ", If you're a fan of beloved burger chain McDonald's, you're likely well-acquainted with its resident clown Ronald McDonald, who was created in 1963. Having ditched the incredibly creepy clown, thebrand introduced a new mascot: a small Asian boy named So-Hi referring to his short stature, not a hallucinogenic state. Many consider the word "Eskimo" to be rooted in a derogatory term for Inuit and Yupik people. Over the years, Buzz Bee has gone missing to raise awareness of the world's declining bee population (viaPR Newswire)and partnered with Ice-T to encourage healthier lifestyle habits among Americans (via General Mills). Chip the Wolf / Chip the Dog. He would go on to eventually speak the brand's famous tag-line, "How about a nice Hawaiian Punch?" Charles Entertainment Cheese was orphaned as a small mouse, and no one knew when his birthday was, so he never had a birthday party. We're not exactly sure why we love the Little Caesars mascot so much. Leprechaun, but fans today know him simply as Lucky. In the late '60s, you couldn't turn on your television without seeing the Frito Bandito. His signature line was, "How about a nice Hawaiian Punch?" These marketing tools are worth the money spent on them because they build brand . But as the third best-selling pizza restaurant in the U.S. in 2021, it's clear our subjective opinion isn't relevant to the company's or its mascot's standing in the world. He was originally portrayed as a terrifying old man with rat-like teeth and stringy gray hair who wanted to snag hamburgers. Crackle! They were tiny cartoon gnomes named after the onomatopoeias that had previously been used in advertisements to describe what the cereal sounds like when topped with milk. In 1999, Cheerios launched a 20th-anniversary public contest to name the famous honey bee. But the purveyor of delightfully-sweetened corn cereal squares with or without crunch berries doesn't need to enlighten us to his military rank to secure his position on this list. Have some dignity, you cereal munching fiends. in his joyously monotone way? 5. Over the years, however, many Native Americans became increasingly incensed by "symbols of the European-American narrative that ignores the genocide, disease, and cultural devastation brought to our communities" (via National Geographic). He first appeared in a commercial on TV in 1961, and the narrator's famous catchphrase, "Sorry, Charlie," was born. Crunchmore, which is made out of Cap'n Crunch cereal. This four-digit lefty showed moms that ground beef (and later tuna and chicken) combined with boxed pasta and premeasured seasoning packets make a delightful dinner in a hurry. He would go on to eventually speak the brand's famous tag-line, "How about a nice Hawaiian Punch?" Continental followed up with other anthropomorphized bakery goods, but Twinkie the Kid was the most popular. While some group mascots have been penalized on our list for a lack of individualized detail, the M&M's mascots don't have that problem. Affectionately referred to as the little frog with the big voice, Dig 'Em the frog was introduced on Honey Smacks packaging in 1972. The new packing is expected to hit stores in 2021. And the food mascot remains just as relevant to the brand's success in 2022 even being jokingly credited with running Chiquita's Instagram account. His signature look? It's no mystery why food mascots are an effective advertising tool. It's said that he still wanders the Yakima woods. Toucan Sam is a perfect example of this. And as we all well know, his portrait is to this day the face of an international brand. In 2017, Hostess refocused its marketing to target millennial moms instead of their kids, and Twinkie the Kid rode off into the sunset. A sweet little cartoon bee accompanied advertisements and packaging for Honey Nut Cheerios for 20 years before he got a name. And how many fictional creations are honored with a real-life, 55-foot tall statue, like the one constructed in 1979 in Blue Earth, Minnesota (via Roadside America)? Morgan was a pirate hired . In 1951, Rossi commissioned artist Jane Beckley Burt to create a brand mascot for Tropicana. Our newsletter is only for the coolest kids. Some may wonder what lifts Charlie the Tuna above Horatio the Bumblebee on our list. Frito Bandito was introduced in the late 1960s to help sell Frito-Lay chips. Frito-Lay initially dug in its heels. The famed trio of mascots representing Rice Krispies Snap, Crackle, and Pop feel like a bit of an anomaly when it comes to cereal mascots. We can't say a living Twinkie who dresses like a cowboy would have been our first idea to entice consumers to buy a cream-filled tube of spongy cake. Whatever the reason, we're confident the pizza chain's mascot (first used in 1962, according to the website) deserves his spot as the 10th best food mascot of all time. Frito Bandito was accused of perpetuating Mexican stereotypes. ; in Mexico, they're known as Pim! Over the years more flavors and Nesquik branded products would be released, but by far the most memorable introduction to the Nesquik line was its bunny mascot. Did you know the Taco Bell chihuahua was actually a female named Gidget (via CNN)? Although Cheerios had been around since the 1940s, Honey Nut Cheerios weren't launched until 1979. What can we say? Declining sales and mismanagement had plagued Continental for years and in 2004, the company declared bankruptcy. The Kool-Aid Man is a big jolly pitcher of sheer, sugar-saturated joy. But that doesn't mean you're unfamiliar with its mascot, Big Boy, thanks to its memorable appearance in the 1997 classic comedy, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.". Let us take a look at some cute and cuddly examples: Cow Logo Design by Mypen. She grew up in Boulder, CO and went to school at Northwestern University in Chicago. Originally created in 1933 by artist Vernon Grant, Snap, Crackle, and Pop first appeared only in advertisements for the toasted rice cereal. He has a human body but the head of a toy clown. So with a face only a mother could love, the Burger King mascot comes in at the very bottom. People guessed celebrities like Humphrey Bogart and Elizabeth Taylor, but it was actually mystery novelist Ann Turner Cook. Since then, the mascot has been compared to "mammy," a racist stereotype portraying a Black woman who is content with slavery. RACHEL . After all, a group of cartoon mascots aimed at children makes sense for more sugary, teeth-rotting varieties, but not the fairly bland flavor found in Rice Krispies. Some say the logo exoticizes and even sexualizes Latin America and the tropics. In 2020, Popsicle's parent company, Unilever,cited a 2016 World Health Organization report about obesity in children and announced they were halting all advertising and marketing directed at children under 12, CBS News reported. Kentucky Fried Chickens mascot is modeled after the real thing, Colonel Harland David Sanders, the companys founder. Snap! He's kind of like the Chuck Norris of the beer industry. June 18, 2014 1:35 PM EDT. In 2017, the internet freaked out over the revelation that the Cap'n Crunch mascot's real name is actually Horatio Magellan Crunch. Either way, the teeny dog left a huge mark on pop culture during its fairly short time in the spotlight, justifying its spot on our list. There's no denying the four-legged actress's impact on the world, but with such a brief run as the actual mascot, we can't rank the canine any higher. Toucan Sam's famously large orange-red-pink-and-black bill has helped him sniff out his favorite fruit-flavored cereal since 1963. giggle after a poke in the belly, well we may call you a liar. So . The unusual commercial killed off Mr. Peanut and introduced a Baby Yoda-ish Baby Nut in his stead. The red-hatted Keebler Elf that is pictured on nearly all of Keebler's products is Ernest J. Keebler, the head of the magic Keebler bakery. He also had a "beak job" that shortened his colorful magic nose "that always knows" where to find Froot Loops. dons a red or striped stocking cap; and Pop! Nor can we decide whether the sad sack background helps or hurts the talking mouse in our rankings so we'll split the difference. The Madison Avenue Walk of Fame was created in 2004 to honor that history, and to recognize the greatest mascots in advertising each year. But it took him until 1956 to acquire arms and legs and until 1975 to be dubbed officially as the "Kool-Aid Man." The person behind the creation of the Pillsbury Doughboy was Rudy Prez, a copywriter who worked for a Chicago-based ad agency in the 1960s. This red-haired, freckle-faced mascot has been Wendy's logo since it first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. He is 8.75 inches tall with his hat and weighs 14 ounces. For our money, chocolate or strawberry milk doesn't get any better than Nesquik. Something went wrong posting the comment. The Toucan mascot appeared for the Froot Loops breakfast cereal in 1963 and captured the hearts of millions. Pam! The considerable production costs for the California Raisins led tothe food mascots' eventual disappearance, but their legacy lives on. It's unlikely Gorton's invented the idea of a rugged fisherman wearing a yellow slicker when it introduced its highly recognizable mascot in 1975. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our newsletter is for everyone who loves design! If youre looking for even more examples, check out these 36 mascot logos with their game face on! By 1949 the characters were completely redesigned to be younger and more colorful. Many of these changes came on the heels of the Black Lives Matter movement which put a huge spotlight . Like several other cereal mascots on this countdown, Sonny the Cuckoo Bird is largely defined by a singular catchphrase: he's "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!" He's always smiling, giving him an almost menacing air he might be outside your bedroom window right now. Some companies simply retired their brand mascots without controversy. If you grew up eating Chuck E. Cheese pizza at birthday parties while watching the mouse and his animatronic band perform, you understand why Chuck makes our list of iconic mascots. Its the advertising incarnation of a 1950s cool cat.. Fun Fact: According to Mr. Peanut's facebook page, this top hat- and monocle-wearing groundnut is 2.87 inches tall and weighs 1.48 ounces. The mascot has a chef's hat, a scarf, two blue eyes, and a soft chuckle when poked into the stomach. Today, Poppin' Fresh has starred in more than 600 ads for 50 products, and when you poke his belly, he goes "hoo hoo!". Called the "First Lady of Fruit," Miss Chiquita may have helped bananas become a staple of the U.S. diet. It's reported that Grimace was last seen dancing to Ram Jam's "Black Betty" at Dodger Stadium on July 18, 2012. Twinkie the Kid is one of the weirder entries on this list. He still features the classic blue and white striped shirt and maintains his surfer identity but is definitely more modern. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Today the logo is a woman wearing a fruit hat, channeling Carmen Miranda. It falls apart, it's messy.". He was first played by Willard Scott, who also played Bozo the Clown for a TV station in Washington, D.C., and eventually became the weatherman on "Today.". Buck Logo by Grigoriou. Knusper! He was soon given the boot in favor of Lucky, who to this day continues to be the spokesman for this classic cereal with marshmallows, or ", The famous Planter's character, Mr. Peanut, was the result of a nation-wide competition to create the company's new mascot. Thanks to the imagination and artistic prowess of schoolboy Antonio Gentile, who submitted a sketch to Planters's brand-icon contest, Mr. Peanut became the company's official mascot. But while we greatly enjoy the mascots, the largely indistinguishable nature of the Polar Bears and lack of defining characteristics (beyond loving Coke, that is) keeps them from the very top of our list. For those who are unfamiliar with this famed friend of the crescent roll, Poppin' Fresh is described as a short, pudgy character the color of unbaked dough with irresistible bright blue eyes, a smiling face, and a world-famous giggle.