_Editorial

By Heather Taylor Most brand mascots are known for having a defining signature. The Pillsbury Doughboy loves to giggle, Ronald McDonald wears big red clown shoes, and the GEICO Gecko has a refined accent. When was the last time we looked at a character and saw their signature reflected in their eyes? There are some icons for which that may…

By Heather Taylor Spring break is right around the corner, which can only mean one thing. Brand mascots are cutting loose, especially Ronald McDonald and the McDonaldland crew who are beach bound! “Beach” McDonald’s debuted the :60 second commercial “Beach” in 1977. Directed by Howie Morris, the commercial featured beloved McDonaldland characters heading on location to a beach in California.…

By Heather Taylor There were four types of commercials that Gregg Victor always wanted to create featuring brand mascots in the advertising space. He wanted to make a cereal commercial that took place during nighttime, create an original character, give an iconic character the chance to cry, and do something, anything, involving Godzilla. Even though nobody thought he would, the…

By Heather Taylor Lucky the Leprechaun has finally been cornered by the kids. The kids make their final demand for our icon’s Lucky Charms cereal filled with unicorn marshmallows. Lucky is trapped in a barn, atop a unicorn. Will they get a bowl of his Lucky Charms, or does Lucky have a bit of magic up his sleeve to get…

By Heather Taylor In June 2018, ice cream shop Carvel made waves with the launch of Fudgie the Beer, a beer created for a whale of a mascot the beloved Fudgie the Whale. Now, Carvel is back at the brewery — none other than the Captain Lawrence Brewing Company — to launch two new beers. Who’s the star this time…

By Heather Taylor Happy National Cereal Day! One of cereal’s gr-r-reat(est) icons, Tony the Tiger of Frosted Flakes fame, is celebrating with a brand new Tony the Tiger capsule t-shirt collection. The seven-shirt collection gives us a look back at Tony’s design evolution through the decades. Tony The Tiger Through The Decades One year after the introduction of Kellogg’s Sugar…

By Heather Taylor Comedians, Reba McEntire, and a bear-shaped honey bottle called ‘Colonel Bear’ have all played the role of Colonel Sanders. Now, KFC’s icon is getting the silver screen treatment. Colonel Sanders has transformed into Colonel RoboCop. (Pro tip for all of our younger readers: that’s a reference to the hero in the 1987 action cult classic RoboCop.) ‘Countdown’…

By Heather Taylor Welcome to the Starlite Lounge! Take off your coat, order a Manhattan, sit back, and stay awhile. Tonight’s talent hails all the way from the creatives at Arnold Worldwide. Please put your hands together for the musical styling of… The Progressive Box, one of the many icons representing car insurance company Progressive! ‘Lounge Act’ “Lounge Act” features…

By Heather Taylor Last year, Paper & Packaging debuted two new animated characters in their “How Life Unfolds” consumer campaign. The campaign, which launched in 2015 about the staying power and relevance of paper and packaging products, did not feature celebrities or influencers. Created by ad agency Cramer-Krasselt, the campaign’s stars were a humble cardboard Box and a simple stack…

By Heather Taylor Upon first glance watching this commercial, it’s easy to assume you’re watching an ad for another fast food chain. There’s twangy guitar strings plucking in the background and a guy getting dressed up in a white suit. Oh, and the voiceover is about chicken. “When we’re talking about flame grilling chicken, there’s only one way to go,”…

By Heather Taylor Which GEICO commercial is the greatest of all time? Is it one of the spots featuring the Caveman? How about an ad starring Maxwell the Pig? Or, should the accolades go to the ubiquitous Gecko? After 25 years of debate, GEICO has settled the score with “The Best Of GEICO” collection of their greatest advertising hits. This…

By Heather Taylor We’ve shared oral history articles on PopIcon before, but this oral history on toothpaste mascots takes it to the next level. Brace yourselves. From Bucky Beaver’s beloved “brusha brusha brusha!” 1950s jingle to Japan’s runaway fan favorite Mr. T Stain, we’re showcasing five of our favorite toothpaste icons over the decades. Tuffy Tooth | Colgate Tuffy Tooth…

By Heather Taylor Two icons are coming together this Valentine’s Day to dish out love advice. One is Dr. Ruth Westheimer, famed media personality and love and relationship expert. The other is a 103-year-old nut professional… Mr. Peanut, is that you? Mr. Peanut & Dr. Ruth: Relationship Q&A Experts Yep, it’s the face of Planters teaming up with Dr. Ruth…

By Heather Taylor Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day for fans of Carvel Ice Cream’s Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss! Now through February 15th, Carvel has whipped up LTO take-home ice cream pints inspired by the two icons. Available only through delivery (like DoorDash and UberEats), it’s impossible not to fall head over heels for the sweet…

By Heather Taylor Grab a bag of Utz potato chips and you’ll see an adorable little girl grinning on the packaging. Her hair is in a bob with a bright red bow, and she has rosy cheeks and bright eyes. Much like chip/crisp fans are reaching for their own Utz bag, she’s also got her hand extending to mischievously reach…

By Heather Taylor Have you ever wished that someone could tell you what life would be like 10 minutes into the future? There’s a spokesguy for that. Small business funding company Kabbage recently launched their first national TV campaign in partnership with ad agency Eleven. The spot stars actor Gary Cole (Veep, Office Space, Kim Possible, yeah that last credit…

By Heather Taylor Elsie the Cow has been the iconic face of Borden Dairy since 1936. In recent decades, however, fans haven’t seen much of this bright-eyed bovine. Where’s Elsie? Borden fans are about to be over the moon with excitement. Tony Sarsam, CEO at Borden, promises that a preview of Elsie’s new look is coming later in Q1 (by…

By Heather Taylor For seven years, Larry Moon worked as a Kellogg’s group TV producer at Leo Burnett. Moon had the privilege of working on the Frosted Flakes account with the iconic Tony the Tiger. This “Gr-r-reat!” duo brought some of Tony’s most iconic, and active, commercials to life. Ever wonder what it takes to animate a spot for this…

By Heather Taylor If one of your goals for 2019 was to start planning for retirement, you’re in luck! The AARP and Ad Council are simplifying the process at AceYourRetirement.org, and they’re getting help from the world’s first mascot for saving for retirement — Avo. Who Is Avo? Avo is a joint creation between the Ad Council, AARP, and their…

By Heather Taylor In 1999, a hiker stumbled across a cottage in the European countryside. Curious, he peeked in the window to see a sweet world unfolding before his eyes. Chocolate was being made here, specifically chocolate confections from the Milka brand, and a marmot wrapped each bar in foil. Not surprisingly, nobody in the outside world could believe the…