A sweet little cartoon bee accompanied advertisements and packaging for Honey Nut Cheerios for 20 years before he got a name. In 1901, Cream of Wheat introduced its mascot, Rastus, a smiling Black chef. Though the brand mascot displays a happy, go-lucky pirate in a red frock standing in a dashin g pirate pose, the true Morgan was, in fact, a rather ruthless man who made life miserable for the Spanish Empire. Only a select few of them have won the marketing jackpot and managed to become synonymous with their product and recognizable all over the world. #1 - The Green M&M. She bursted onto the scene as a sexy addition to the Red and Yellow M&M's mascots. That was until 1987, when another artist, Oscar Grillo, re-conceptualized her as the human woman who now graces each bundle of Chiquita bananas we get from the store. Though from Tennessee originally, he started selling fried chicken on the side of the road during the Great Depression. In 2007, food conglomerate Mars reportedly spent $20 million to reimagine rice brand spokesman Uncle Ben as the chairman of the company, instead of a subservient character with a bow tie The New . Fun Fact: In 2000, the Kool-Aid Man was honored with a footprint ceremony at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood he wears a size 15XL. This gentleman legume reps Planters, was born to more humble circumstances, originating in the mind of 14 year old Antonio Gentile (he was paid $5 for the idea). Why? In 1928, the Fremont Canning Company held a contest. Today, his legacy lives on through cans of ravioli and other canned pasta dishes. Beacuse when mascots get more popular than brand it causes a problem. Named Quicky, the bunny was introduced in the 1970s. In the 1960s, Bozo the Clownbecame the most popular clown around. 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. After all, what else does the cartoonish character, vaguely modeled after the legendary Roman emperor, do besides say "Pizza! Some companies simply retired their brand mascots without controversy. The famous Planter's character, Mr. Peanut, was the result of a nation-wide competition to create the company's new mascot. Frankly, it's virtually impossible to overstate the potentially positive impact a well-received food mascot can have on a company's bottom line. For a brief time in the 1970s, Lucky was replaced in New England by a since-forgotten mascot, Waldo the Wizard. The Greatest Fast-Food Mascots, Ranked - Thrillist prefers a dashing a military hat. in his joyously monotone way? 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. Lefty continues to be featured on packaging and advertising for Hamburger Helper. 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. "As we listen to the voices of consumers, especially in the Black community, and to the voices of our Associates worldwide, we recognize that one way we can do this is by evolving the Uncle Ben's brand, including its visual brand identity.". The Toucan mascot appeared for the Froot Loops breakfast cereal in 1963 and captured the hearts of millions. Every can of Pringles features a caricature of a man's face. He wasn't based on an actual person, though people think he looks like writer William Penn. The red-hatted Keebler Elf that is pictured on nearly all of Keebler's products is, , the head of the magic Keebler bakery. In 2020, Planters' advertising agency, VaynerMedia, wanted an even bigger event. He would eventually be called Lefty due to the fact that he is a left hand. This mouse mascot may share a name with the pizza and arcade chain but his full name is actually Charles Entertainment Cheese. Fun Fact: In addition to playing Bozo the Clown, longtime NBC and Today show weatherman, Willard Scott, was the first person to enact Ronald McDonald live on television. Ferdinand Magellan was a legendary explorer who, like the Cap'n, spent most of his time at sea. (Ironically, Robert Downey, Jr. gave voice to Mr. Peanut in 2010.). Dig 'Em is described as a friendly prankster who likes to play tricks, especially on adults. Quaker Oats' Aunt Jemima character was inspired by a minstrel show,which were usually performed by white actors in blackface. By completing this form, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Today, he's a life-size dude with a massive plastic head. Behind 15 of food branding's most iconic mascots - 99designs He's suave, intelligent, worldly, and wildly popular with men and women alike. Cereal lovers are likely familiar with household names Snap, Crackle and Pop, the brotherly elf trio that represents Kellogg's Rice Krispies. By 1949 the characters were completely redesigned to be younger and more colorful. It's an old trick, but it definitely gets the job done. Though the scene remains funny decades later, it can't overcome the restaurant's regional nature, hence its low ranking on our list. Leprechaun, but fans today know him simply as Lucky. If we liked Hamburger Helper more, Lefty would rank higher. Unfortunately, his tricks always met with the same refrain, "Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids.". Vodafone is the world's second-largest mobile phone company. Commercials were just as oddball as Bigg Mixx himself. As it is, there's no shame in being the 11th best food mascot of all time. Take a look through 15 of the most iconic mascots, and learn a bit more about when and why they came about: This gentleman legume reps Planters, was born to more humble circumstances, originating in the mind of 14 year old Antonio Gentile (he was paid $5 for the idea). 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). Yet, we have to admit: We've never been the biggest fans of thefrozen seafood company. Toucan Sam's famously large orange-red-pink-and-black bill has helped him sniff out his favorite fruit-flavored cereal since 1963. Fun Fact: The Helping Hand is not shy about appearing in costume. Raks! Take a look through 15 of the most iconic mascots, and learn a bit more about when and why they came about: 1. Charlie the Tuna is the hipster spokesfish for StarKist. The first voice actor for the character was Paul Frees, who's also known for voicing Boris Badenov in "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle." The mascot belongs on this list, for sure, but without any sort of slogan or notable quality? Red Bull Logo. In his words, he just can't resist those fruity flavors of raspberry red, lemony lemon, orangey orange, wildberry blue, grapity purple, and watermelon. 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). Of course, not all food mascots of old that disappeared on everything from cereal boxes and snack cakes were controversial. With people seeking out healthier food options in the1980s and 1990s, though,snack cakes began to fall out of favor. We're not exactly sure why we love the Little Caesars mascot so much. In 2011, the cartoon mascot got a 3D animation. But our ignorance of the insect's name is somewhat understandable, considering it didn't have a name before a fan contest took place in 2000 (via Business Wire). And youre one of em. When she first came to fruition in 1944, Miss Chiquita was a long-lashed animated banana in a red dress with a fruit basket on her head. Riks! Sorry, Charlie. If your business is selling physical products, consider revamping your packaging by adding your mascot. Confession: before compiling this list, we thought Chester Cheetah's last name was actuallyCheeto. But that, in fact, helps the food mascot's case compared to other entries. Although Gentile's original drawings list the character's name as Mr. P. Nut Planter, Planters revealed on. The character was created in 1963 and has been McDonalds cultural attach to kids ever since. Frito-Lay initially dug in its heels. As reported by CNBC, agency executives were inspired by the reaction on social media to spoiler Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame to devise a scenario in which Mr. Peanut dies while sacrificing his life for others. The Top Food Mascots of All Time | Taste of Home The last iteration, pictured above, portrayed a middle-aged Black woman with perfectly coiffed hair, pearl earrings, and a large smile. If youre looking for even more examples, check out these 36 mascot logos with their game face on! The Trix rabbit's sole purpose in life is to eat Trix cereal, but his plot is almost always foiled by kids yelling, "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids." "He's part-chicken, you know." Grimace joined the McDonaldland lineup in 1971. But let's be real here: the non-marshmallow bits in the cereal are sort of disgusting, meaning Lucky takes a deserved spot right in the middle of our list. giggle after a poke in the belly, well we may call you a liar. If you think that origin story is wild, wait until you find out where your favorite cocktails come from. He also does the voice for Count Chocula. In 1916, a 14-year-old boy named Antonio Gentile sent in a. of what would become the iconic Mr. Peanut we know today and the rest is history. That unsettling-yet-unforgettable maniacal grin has been producing nightmares across the U.S. since 2004, when the current, plastic-costumed incarnation was introduced to the world (via Slate). Now, he's hatless. In 1925, Rastus was taken off the Cream of Wheat packaging and replaced with Frank L. White, a Black chef who can still be found on the boxes today. Think: Tony the Tiger and the Keebler Elves. Frito Bandito was introduced in the late 1960s to help sell Frito-Lay chips. While we've ranked some mascots lower for a lack of, well, actually doing anything, the Umbrella Girl mascot used by Morton Salt since 1914is an exception. From mascots that have been called racist to controversial ad campaigns, many food brands are just now making big changes to their logos and company names. He's "gr-r-reat!" But not all mascots are equal. Called the "First Lady of Fruit," Miss Chiquita may have helped bananas become a staple of the U.S. diet. Outside of a few notable exceptions, we focused mainly on long-running mascots (those used for decades or more), those created exclusively for a brand (so no Flintstones with Cocoa Pebbles) and omitted mascots based on a real person (like Wendy or Chef Boyardee).Without further ado, here is our ranking of the 35 most iconic food . Outside of a few notable exceptions, we focused mainly on long-running mascots (those used for decades or more), those created exclusively for a brand (so no Flintstones with Cocoa Pebbles) and omitted mascots based on a real person (like Wendy or Chef Boyardee). A designer from Disney, Milt Schaffer, helped bring Prez's character to life using stop-motion clay animation and Poppin' Fresh was born. Toucan Sam has been the spokesbird for Froot Loops since 1963. He still features the classic blue and white striped shirt and maintains his surfer identity but is definitely more modern. First came Yellow and Red, although Red claims he debuted two seconds before Yellow. Many of the popular food mascots we know and love have distinct, real names that differ from the common titles we know them by. Hes gotten so famous that hes made appearances on the Simpsons and in New Yorks Museum of Modern Art. He was recently killed off and brought back to life as Baby Nut in a Super Bowl commercial. Toucan Sam lives in an animated jungle, where he guides an array of human-like characters to his favorite food. The "J" in Ernie's full name is said to be an homage to the original head Keebler Elf, J.J. Keebler, who appeared in the brand's earliest commercials throughout the 1960s. If it's out there, this guy's seen it! He wore Western cowboy garb to introduce Chili Macaroni; donned a sombrero for Cheesy Taco Bake; embodied a Venetian gondolier for Helping Hand Pasta; played a tray-toting Italian waiter for Zesty and Cheesy Italian; and snuggled up in a black Russian fur hat for the Creamy Sauce Beef Stroganoff mix. Post made onetelevision commercial starring Krinkles the Clown and, well, it has to be seen to be believed. Post eventually jettisoned So-Hi in 1968, and according toThe Consumerist, it's unclear whether they did so just to market the cereal differently or were newly conscious of offending their Asian consumers. The term "Rastus," however, has long been considered an offensive term for Black men, inciting backlash for the brand. Top 10 Best Food Mascots Ever | BabbleTop Tiger Logo by Manu. A chihuahua named Gidget came to fame as an advertising figure for Taco Bell in the 1990s. A spot featuring the Kool-Aid Man was included in Advertising Age's round-up of best commercials in 1975. not a Captain at all but rather a Commodore, as his iconic blue and yellow uniform displays only three stripes, characters include Ernie's mom Ma Keebler, he famous mouse does have an interesting backstory. Did you know the Taco Bell chihuahua was actually a female named Gidget (via CNN)? So . Why You Shouldn't Order Food On Delivery Apps, The Most Popular Girl Scout Cookie In Every State, Read This Before Buying Le Creuset Cookware, 10 Things To Know Before Buying Booze At Costco. Prez was inspired to create a mascot made of dough who would pop out of Pillsbury cans after working with the refrigerated dough at home. 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. Let us take a look at some cute and cuddly examples: Cow Logo Design by Mypen. Pizza!" 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. ", The Real Reason You Don't See These Food Mascots Anymore. Although Chester is now synonymous with Cheetos, the brand once used a mouse mascot to promote the cheese snacks. 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. and are consistent with other messaging. Continental followed up with other anthropomorphized bakery goods, but Twinkie the Kid was the most popular. Sometimes, though, they were just plain creepy, like Quizno's Spongmonkeys, Burger King's . Because as the website suggests, the Stork may have been introduced as a ploy to juice up slagging birth rates by using the stork imagery associated with babies to implore baby-making sessions across the nation. Though they're best known as an inseparable trio, the best way to distinguish between them is by the hats they wear. Crimson-haired Pete was created by cartoonist Woody Gelman, who would later co-create "Bazooka Joe" in the 1950s for Bazooka Bubble Gum. What makes Tony the Tiger rank so much higher than other cereal mascots? Nevertheless, the Claymation commercials were costly and time-consuming to produce. This is just about all you need to know: Quaker Oats Horatio Magellan Crunch captains a ship called the Guppy, and was born on Crunch Island in the Sea of Milk a magical place with talking trees, crazy creatures and a whole mountain (Mt. He has a human body but the head of a toy clown. He was a short, red-headed thief with just one tooth. The Best Fast Food Mascots, Ranked By Fans But it's not the only one. He was always trying to steal hamburgers from children and his friend Ronald McDonald though he never actually got away with it. It's big and round, shaped like a sideways hard-boiled egg. However, it wasn't until February 2020 that the brandunveiled its new packaging without Mia "to better tell its farmer-owned story." In 2017, the internet freaked out over the revelation that the Cap'n Crunch mascot's real name is actually Horatio Magellan Crunch. Realistically, though, theidea that Charlie is shilling tuna for humans to eat meaning the mascot is somewhat of a murderer is what we find most endearing. The winner was Land O'Lakes, Inc. Next, it was time for a logo. In 1937, Mr. Peanut appeared on his first billboard in New York City's Time Square. According to Mental Floss, Planters held a contest in 2006 to change Mr. Peanut's fancy duds, but fans voted to keep him as he always was. In Planters' 2019 Super Bowl commercial, Mr. Peanut can be seen zooming down city streets in his Nutmobile to stop Alex Rodriguez from eating kale chips. Still, the mascot's globe-headed, kiddie-clown aesthetic contrasting his alleged CEO role is undoubtedly amusing, and also universally known. While it's certainly fun listening to your cereal try to communicate, we can't overlook the contrast between the food and its adorable, kid-friendly mascots meaning the three elves rank just outside our top 20. 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. Fun Fact: After box-top voting campaigns in 1976 and 1980, the Trix rabbit was finally rewarded with a taste of the forbidden fruit. "This is an interesting idea," Luke Visconti of Diversity, Inc. told the publication, "but for me, it still has a very high cringe factor. When the war was over, a man by the name of Lon Bel used it as inspiration to design a logo for his cheese company and called it "La Vache qui rit," which translates to, "The Laughing Cow. . It was also revealed that Horatio Magellan Crunch is not a Captain at all but rather a Commodore, as his iconic blue and yellow uniform displays only three stripes. As CBS News explained, this patchwork creature was supposed to represent the mixed-up nature of Kellogg's new cereal that contained rolled oats, rice, corn flakes, and whole-grain wheat basically a conglomeration of other Kellogg's cereals. 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. Evil (Mike Myers) uses a giant statue of the famous little boy as a disguised spaceship, leading to an outline of the hamburger-hoisting mascot appearing on a military radar. In homage to the distinctive sound that emits from a bowl of Rice Krispies cereal once it's doused in milk, Kellogg's introduced the company's first food mascots: Snap! A food product clearly needs to stand on its own two feet to achieve sustained success, butin an overwhelmingly competitive food industry,marketing and advertising departments are crucial. First Lady of Fruit is more than 50 years old now, though she doesnt look it. So-Hi came to be during an era in which Asian Americans were frequently mocked and ridiculed in film and television, and he remained a popular mascot for Sugar Sparkled Rice Krinkles for almost ten years. Post relaunched its Sugar Rice Krinkles as Sugar Sparkled Rice Krinkles (alternately Sugar Coated Rice Krinkles) in 1959. The white glove mascot featured a big smile and a red nose. Although "the Uncle Ben's story" has been wiped from its American website, it can still be found on Uncle Ben'sAustralian site. Tropic-Ana wore only a grass skirt and a lei strategically positioned on her bare chest. Brand mascots are a commonplace part of the branding strategies for countless cereal and food companies. 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.". Other Keebler characters include Ernie's mom Ma Keebler, the elf in charge of wrapping named Fast Eddie, the elf who splashes chocolate on the cookies named Buckets, and the fudge shoppe foreman named Zack. Ernest J. Keebler, or "Ernie" for short, is the spokeself for Kellogg's Keebler brand, which makes some of the best store-bought cookies. The Kool-Aid Man is a big jolly pitcher of sheer, sugar-saturated joy. Think: Tony the Tiger and the Keebler Elves. Ultimately, in June 2020, Quaker Oats announced, "We recognize Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype." that Mr. Peanut's full name is actually Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe. The Morton Salt Girl first appeared on packaging in 1914 with the now-famous slogan, "When it rains, it pours," to emphasize that the salt would flow freely, even in damp weather. Add in the interesting tidbit that Tony beat out two other potential mascots upon arrival to become the face of Frosted Flakes in 1953 (via Kellogg's), and we think it's crystal clear why the Tiger ranks as the third best food mascot. When he first debuted on the cereal box, he was wearing a big hat made out of fruit. The spokes character for Hamburger Helper debuted in 1977, six years after the brand's release. In 1992, Punchy launched a presidential campaign with the tagline, "No one else has the punch." The whole crew, many of whom are named in all sorts of clever ways, lives and bakes their goodies in their tree, dubbed The Hollow Tree Factory. They were created in 1968 by can you guess it? Green passed away in 1926, but the Aunt Jemima character persisted, most notably on Quaker Oats' pancake boxes and syrup bottles. Food mascots are some of the most recognizable images in advertising. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, . 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. Fun Fact: The threesome have different names in different countries. Popsicle Pete appeared in newspaper ads, Popsicle wrappers, and promotional giveaways, like the Popsicle Pete Fun Book, which contributed to the character's popularity and longevity. The cereal quickly became a household staple. Before our research, we were under the impression the Coca-Cola Polar Bear mascots were exclusive to holiday season advertisements. When you think about the origins of the Vlasic Stork mascot, it's somewhat amazing he exists at all. Legendary voice actorMel Blancgave voice to the Frito Bandito. The identity of the subject was kept secret until 1978. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Hes also one of the oldest mascots still in existence, changed very little in the 130+ years he has been around. Brand mascots: The world's most famous mascot logos - Fabrik Brands But while the original character was drawn by the same artist who created the Trix Rabbit, well there's a reason the Count is lower on our list. He has captained the S.S. Guppy since 1963. Once Chester was introduced in 1986, though, the world's embrace ensured that the brand would never look back. Design for good: why great visual branding for nonprofits pays off, Why great visual branding for nonprofits pays off: an infographic, The 10 best freelance mascot designers for hire in 2023. By clicking Sign Up, you also agree to marketing emails from both Insider and Morning Brew; and you accept Insiders, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, announced it is rebranding its Aunt Jemima products, created in the late 1800s and was based on a minstrel song, brand name on the products will read Pearl Milling Company instead, the word "Eskimo" to be rooted in a derogatory term for Inuit and Yupik people, using Native Americans as the face of a white-owned brand, has long been considered an offensive term, was accused of perpetuating Mexican stereotypes, exoticizes and even sexualizes Latin America and the tropics.