_Editorial

By Heather Taylor Ho, ho, ho, and hoo, hoo, hoo! For the first time ever, Pillsbury is debuting two Ugly Christmas Sweaters for the 2018 holiday season starring their iconic mascot, the Pillsbury Doughboy. How can I call these sweaters “ugly” when they’re actually a-dough-able? (It doesn’t have the same ring to it, but I digress.) Doughboy fans and foodies…

By Heather Taylor It’s Christmas time and along with all of the festive decorations and fun that go with the season, there’s one that always comes back every night. For those of you without kids or might be wondering who or what the heck the Elf on the Shelf is, you’ve come to the right place. The Elf on the…

By Heather Taylor There are sports mascots and then there is Gritty. The NHL changed forever with the introduction of Gritty in September 2018. The new mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers was really… something. He was bright orange, clad in a team jersey, and full of manic energy far surpassing even the biggest Flyers fan. Exaggeratedly huge eyeballs practically rolled…

By Heather Taylor If you thought you saw the last of the iconic Monster Cereals characters during Halloween, Hollywood (and General Mills) has the ultimate plot twist for you. The beloved icons want members of the film industry to bring their narratives to life on the silver screen. I’m dying to know more about this program! Got a spooktacular storyline…

By Heather Taylor It may appear, on the surface, that Seymour Schachter went down a paved road to creative success. Schachter has illustrated over 250 cereal box covers, and “too many product labels to count” for brands ranging from M&M’S to Keebler. A three-time gold winner of the prestigious Reggie Award, Schachter is gifted in the ability to adapt to…

By Heather Taylor Let’s paws and celebrate the return of the Heathrow Bears this holiday season. This year’s official Christmas advert for Heathrow Airport has debuted from Havas London. And, it stars our iconic duo in a… tropical climate? “The Heathrow Bears Return” It would appear that the Heathrow Bears, Doris and Edward, might be content with a staycation in…

By Heather Taylor The 92nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is almost upon us! Fans will be tuning in to NBC on Thursday November 22nd from 9 AM to noon EST for the festive fun. There, they can catch their favorite balloons, floats, musicians, and Santa Claus making a rare appearance from the North Pole. Which brand mascots are slated…

By Heather Taylor Folks familiar with Cracker Barrel, the country-themed restaurant that doubles as a storefront for everything from dinnerware to holiday décor, may wonder who the man is behind the company’s logo. Did an actual person inspire his creation? Or, is he the figment of a clever illustrator’s imagination? How Cracker Barrel Got Its Start Let’s travel back in…

By Heather Taylor Honey Smacks are back! Last month, Kellogg’s announced that Honey Smacks would return to U.S. grocery shelves in limited quantities throughout November. The cereal, known for its sweetened honey-flavored puffs of wheat, also boasts a new recipe. Honey Smacks is now “simpler,” using five simple ingredients to create one great taste. Returning along for the ride is…

By Heather Taylor For 100 years, Contadina has raised the bar when it comes to rich, vine-ripened Roma tomatoes. Founded by the Aiello brothers and established in 1918, the translation behind the company’s name “Contadina” is Italian. It means “woman of the fields.” Look closely at the Contadina logo and you will see one such woman displayed there. Who is…

By Heather Taylor I mustache you a question… Did you know some of advertising’s biggest icons are signing up to be part of Movember? Yep, they are! The Movember Foundation announced on October 25th that they are partnering with characters like the Green Giant and Mr. Peanut for Movember. A leading charity changing the face of men’s health, Movember encourages men…

By Heather Taylor The year was 1986 and Ronald McDonald, the iconic McDonald’s clown, found himself in a spooky situation. He was starring in “Scared Silly,” a terrifying tale where he encountered a mysterious Count living in Transylvania… and that’s no joke! We might have exaggerated a few of those details ever so slightly. Yes, the year was still 1986…

By Heather Taylor It’s Saturday night at Monster Mansion and our friends Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry are sitting around feeling frightfully lonely. Fans of the General Mills’ Monster Cereals got more than just breakfast when they purchased a cereal box in 1979. Audio tracks put on a 45rpm “flexi-disc” record were also included on the backs of…

By Heather Taylor Anyone familiar with the Planters brand knows that the company brand mascot, Mr. Peanut, has an incredible fashion sense. His taste in style has now extended beyond the wardrobe and into libations. This week, Planters launched their first beer, Mr. IPA-Nut, into the craft beer market. Recognize that iconic monocle and yellow shell coloring? That’s the one…

By Heather Taylor Chances are you might have already seen the Belgian Boys brand before. Perhaps you received one of their complimentary Choc ‘O Chip mini cookie stash bags on a recent JetBlue flight. Or, you spotted their Mini Stroopwafels or Waffle Chips for sale in the snack aisle at Target. No doubt you would have immediately spotted the duo’s…

By Heather Taylor What’s not to love about Big Jim? His debut commercial with Progressive Insurance introduces audiences (and neighborhoods) to a strong, skilled fella. We quickly learn, through his accompanying jingle, that the animated Big Jim is no ordinary guy. “He’s got legs of lumber. Arms of steel. Eats a bowl of hamburgers at every meal!” Big Jim is…

By Heather Taylor Last week, Advertising Week kicked off its 15th year anniversary with a twist on the traditional Madison Avenue Walk of Fame announcement. Yes, we would still induct two new characters and slogans to join the 2018 MAWoF at #AWNewYork. This year, however, we went all out with an Icon Gala Awards event on Monday October 1st that celebrated advertising’s…

By Heather Taylor Welcome to part two in our two-part series about what it was like to work at Leo Burnett Chicago on the world’s most famous iconic characters. If you missed part 1 you can find it here.  What happened if you created a character who was a huge hit? Our eight former LB creatives — including Jim Nawrocki,…

By Heather Taylor Have you ever wondered what it was like to work at Leo Burnett Chicago during the agency’s heyday? Do you wish you could have been a fly on the wall during a brainstorming session for Charlie the Tuna’s TV campaign, witness the Pillsbury Doughboy’s stop-motion animation, or stand in an elevator with anyone from the Marlboro account?…