_Editorial

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?…

By Heather Taylor Step inside any art or natural history museum and exhibits filled with vibrant watercolor paintings, intricate sculptures, and records of extinct species will quickly surround you. There are many unusual things one can view at museums, but it’s highly unlikely that guests will catch glimpses of Tony the Tiger, Morris the Cat, or Mr. Peanut during their…

By Heather Taylor Last week, we reported that the Monster Cereals — Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula — have returned to grocery stores for the fall season. Joining them on October 1st will be three Halloween-themed Kellogg’s cereals: Chocolate Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, and Apple Jacks. The iconic faces of these cereals, including Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, and…

By Heather Taylor They’re here! Following the heels of the Pumpkin Spice Latte’s return to Starbucks, General Mills Monster Cereals have arrived at grocery stores just in time for the fall season. The beloved trio of friendly frighteners — Boo Berry, Franken Berry, and Count Chocula — are ready to serve up their usual tricks and treats at the breakfast…

By Heather Taylor Over the summer, Nike and pro basketball star Kyrie Irving partnered together to launch a collection of sneakers. These aren’t your ordinary kicks either. The shoes were inspired by three of General Mills’ biggest cereals, Kix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Lucky Charms. Dubbed the Nike Kyrie 4 “Cereal Pack,” the shoes were packaged inside boxes designed to…

By Heather Taylor Thinking about artificial intelligence typically conjures up images of faceless robots on a mission to systematically take jobs away from human beings. The last thing consumers imagine they might see are loveable, gentle cows. This unexpected branding twist allows San Francisco-based AI company, Moogsoft, and its cow character mascot to stand out from the tech herd. Moogsoft’s…

By Heather Taylor Since 1972, the green, leaf-clad Little Green Sprout has resided in the same Valley that the Jolly Green Giant calls home. Sprout has spent decades looking up to the harvest icon while proudly taking on his own initiatives to show kids everywhere how healthy and tasty it is to eat your veggies. Now, he’s rolling out his…

By Heather Taylor Follow your nose in style! Kellogg’s Froot Loops has teamed up with user-created fashion brand AWAYTOMARS to create a unique clothing collection inspired by the delicious cereal and its bright mascot, Toucan Sam. Breakfast enthusiasts might recall that Froot Loops partnered with Neff, State Bicycle Co., and Timbuk2 in 2017 to design colorful gear and accessories encouraging…

By Heather Taylor We all have moments where we wish we could fix what we perceive to be our imperfections, and we’re not alone. Sometimes even characters have these thoughts, like the jiggly squad in JELL-O Play’s new animated series “The JELL-O Wobz.” Created in partnership with DreamWorksTV, every Wobz is a different flavor of JELL-O with a unique mold…

By Heather Taylor Caramel isn’t like the other members of the M&M’S family tree. He doesn’t look or behave like anyone else. Every other icon, from Red to Yellow, is round or oval shaped and brimming with personality. Caramel is a little more nervous and nerdy. He’s kind of a square actually, which is perfectly suited to his shape. In…

By Heather Taylor 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of Cocoa Puffs, the deliciously chocolatey cereal from General Mills that breakfast enthusiasts have been going cuckoo over for decades. Cocoa Puffs was officially introduced on June 27, 1958 and released nationwide on August 14 that same year. We take chocolate flavored cereal for granted today, but back then it…

By Heather Taylor When John Galardi founded Wienerschnitzel in 1961, it’s unlikely he could have known that his humble hot dog hut would grow to become the world’s largest hot dog chain. Home to chili dogs made with a secret recipe, this Southern California eatery also has bragging rights to the “world’s most wanted wiener.” The Delicious One, Wienerschnitzel’s brand…

By Heather Taylor Laura Rott turned 100-years-old on July 25, 2018. The Naperville, Illinois resident is now a centenarian, part of more than 72,000 United States individuals that are 100-years-old or older. She celebrated her big day alongside family and friends, with an extra special guest invited along for the fun – the Pillsbury Doughboy. Why would the Pillsbury Doughboy…

By Heather Taylor Happy 74th birthday, Smokey Bear! Administered by the United States Forest Service (USFS), the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), and the Ad Council, Smokey Bear is at the heart of the longest-running public service campaign in American history. As our world continues to face rapid climate change, Smokey’s message of protecting all public lands continues to be…

By Heather Taylor Remember when you were a kid and Mom would slip an encouraging note into your lunchbox that you would find later that day during school? You probably got the warm fuzzies after reading it and felt much better afterwards. You may even remember the details of the note itself — Mom’s cursive handwriting or a drawing of…