Company & Product Mascots

[Pomai]

DTRIC Insurance (http://www.dtric.com/) recently started a TV ad campaign featuring their mascot, rendered in animated CGI. Not sure if this mascot is new or not, but he sports a "rad" green hairdo, what looks like a Kukui Nut lei, sunglasses, bare-chested, and bare-footed, shorts that have a single suspender and holds a big "shaka". Pretty cool.

My mother can't stand the Geico cavemen, just because she thinks they're so ugly. Same for their gecko, mainly because she's gravely afraid of lizards. lol

For breakfast cereals, there's some true icons in the industry that have no doubt increased sales and top-of-mind branding for the product they represent over the many decades they've graced box covers and ad promotions. There's...

The likes of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, Dig 'Em Frog, Snap, Crackle & Pop all had me sold when I was a kid, that's for sure.

Back to local business mascots, the Menehune Mac (http://www.menehunemac.com) "Menehune" is a cool design. I like his pidgin-laced flash intro on their site.

Another Menehune is the one for Menehune Water Company (http://www.menehunewater.com/). Last year a guy dressed up as him for Halloween in Waiks'.

"Mr. Safety" of Hawaii Self Storage (http://hawaiiselfstorage.net/Default.asp) is a neat design as well. I dig the plantation hat, if that's what that is.

Mascots aren't always fictional. Sometimes they're the owners of the company. Like Colonel Sanders.

Anyone remember used car dealership owner and spokesperson Lippy Espinda? I hear he popularized the "shaka" sign in his TV commercials, which was also laced with heavy pidgin English punch lines. I don't know, as he was before my time, but I'd love to see those commercials.

Any mascots that you like or dislike? Which ones do you think are effective at selling the product or service, and which ones aren't?

[leashlaws]

The Energizer Bunny comes to mind, cute ads.

I know I can mention more but I'm blanking out right now!
Must be the constant downpour of rain today!:rolleyes:

[Pomai]

Did you notice the Energizer Bunny wears rubber slippers (or "rubbah slippahz" or "flip flops")? Someone told me a guy from Hawaii designed it, although this Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energizer_Bunny) article claims "The creative team at DDB Chicago who conceived and designed Bunny was Peter Bex (art director), Bob Konold (writer) and Lorra Rudman (creative director)". Not sure if any of them have Hawaii roots. Anyone know more about this?

[Mike_Lowery]

MLB is a company as well. I really like Mr. Met, the mascot of the New York Mets:

http://www.satyamag.com/sat.site.images/mrmet2.jpg

[Random]

Any mascots that you like or dislike? Which ones do you think are effective at selling the product or service, and which ones aren't?
I dislike the current BK mascot which IMNSHO looks like a reject from a Mardi Gras parade. He creeps me out, especially if he's in one of those breakfast promo commercials. You try waking up and the first thing you see is him. Get rid of the mask and just put someone in makeup like before.

I'd like to stomp on the Energizer bunny in front of kids.

The only mascot(s) I like is the Ka Lei Eggs Booga Booga. "It's Too Good!"

[Sharilyn]

I dislike the current BK mascot which IMNSHO looks like a reject from a Mardi Gras parade. He creeps me out, especially if he's in one of those breakfast promo commercials. You try waking up and the first thing you see is him. Get rid of the mask and just put someone in makeup like before.

Yeah, the Burger King guy is seriously creepy.

[oggboy]

The Jack in the Box clown, stupid!, but he does get his message across.

[Random]

The Jack in the Box clown, stupid!, but he does get his message across.
I can tolerate Jack. I like it when they use different heads to show Jack's different emotions.

I even like the porn movie spoof commercial. I just realize I have a porn 'stache. :D

[Frankie's Market]

Mascots aren't always fictional. Sometimes they're the owners of the company. Like Colonel Sanders.

Or was the owner. By the time Harlan Sanders was the TV commerical spokesperson for KFC, he had already sold his share of the company and was, quite literally, a figurehead for the restaurant chain.

I find the history of some company mascots as being fascinating, as many have evolved over the years.

Jack In A Box- The namesake was originally a cartoonish clown. Then in the early 1970s, there was little Rodney Allen Rippy. By the end of the decade, the clown was blown up as the restaurant wanted to be known by the quality of the food instead of the clown. A number of spokespersons followed. Then the company began to dig into its past. First, by briefly re-introducing a not-so-little Rodney. And then later, resurrecting a live-action "Jack" with somebody wearing an oversized antenna ball. Cute.

Wendy's - The pigtailed Wendy logo has been more or less a constant. But the first memorable TV commercial spokesperson was Clara "Where's Da Beef?" Peller. After Peller got fired for claiming "I found it!" for another company,.... someone had a stroke of genius. Why not use Wendy's founder Dave Thomas? The rest, as they say, was history.

[oceanpacific]

ALKA SELTZER - Speedy;
KELLOGG'S - Snap, Crackle, Pop (Ric Crispies); Sugar Pop Pete (Sugar Pops); Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes);

Other cereals: Captain Krunch; Count Chocula; Sugar Bear;

"Live" spokespersons:

OVALTINE - Captain Midnight;
YOO HOO chocolate drink - Yogi Berra;
TIMEX - John Cameron Swayze;
HANES - Michael Jordan

Name of the parrot for WESTERN AIRLINES ("the only way to fly")?

[Mike_Lowery]

ALKA SELTZER - Speedy;
KELLOGG'S - Snap, Crackle, Pop (Ric Crispies); Sugar Pop Pete (Sugar Pops); Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes);

Other cereals: Captain Krunch; Count Chocula; Sugar Bear;

"Live" spokespersons:

OVALTINE - Captain Midnight;
YOO HOO chocolate drink - Yogi Berra;
TIMEX - John Cameron Swayze;
HANES - Michael Jordan

Name of the parrot for WESTERN AIRLINES ("the only way to fly")?

can't leave out the GOAT cereal mascots, Toucan Sam and Dig'em Frog.

[cynsaligia]

one longstanding local mascot is the caveman making the wheel for lex brodie's tire company. i was once a lex brodie's girl and i know the mascot has a proper name (like bill or fred or something) but i can't remember what it is.

[Frankie's Market]

ALKA SELTZER - Speedy;
KELLOGG'S - Snap, Crackle, Pop (Ric Crispies); Sugar Pop Pete (Sugar Pops); Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes);

Other cereals: Captain Krunch; Count Chocula; Sugar Bear;

Don't forget the Trix Rabbit. (Silly rabbit! Trix are for kids.)

And does anybody remember Tony the Tiger Jr. on the box of Kellogg's Frosted Rice? This was like 30 years ago. Eventually, the boys at Battle Creek scrapped Tony Jr. and put the more popular "Snap, Crackle, and Pop" characters to market the same cereal, renamed Frosted Rice Krispies.

HANES - Michael Jordan

MJ for Hanes? Yeah, I remember those commercials with his wife and late father. But the first person I think of when it comes to Hanes is Inspector #12. (They don't say it's Hanes until I say they say it's Hanes.)

Name of the parrot for WESTERN AIRLINES ("the only way to fly")?

I don't know remember the bird's name. All I remember is that he was voiced by Jim Backus (Mr. Magoo, Gilligan's Island).

And uh, oh yes. :D

Coffee beans cha-cha-cha!
Coffee beans cha-cha-cha!

[Pomai]

I'd like to stomp on the Energizer bunny in front of kids.How about for the MTV demographic, Duracell have Ozzy Osbourne bite the head off the Energizer Bunny. Then end the commercial with Ozzy laughing in his evil way, followed by the "Copper Top" soundbite and logo. :D

I also agree about the Burger King dude being really creepy. They could make a horror movie out of that character. :eek:

Also, why does Quaker Oats use a lifeless, inanimate fiberglass casting of their mascot in their TV comercials? So lame. They should find an actor who resembles the character. Not CGI either.

Same thing for the Sun Maid Raisins recent TV ad campaign which uses a CGI-rendered "Sun Maid" mascot. Looks kinda' creepy too. There must be 100's of young women in America who look like the mascot that could act the part.

The Cab's "Tutu" ad campaign employing the "Tutu" mascot with the big okole played by Frank DeLima is brilliant. "Call "Four Tutu... Tutu, Tutu!" (422-2222). I always remember their phone number due to that one. Brilliant.

[Amati]

MLB is a company as well. I really like Mr. Met, the mascot of the New York Mets:

http://www.satyamag.com/sat.site.images/mrmet2.jpg

Is it possible that the Mets guy is just a part-time gig for "Jack" (JackInTheBox), with Jack in full makeup.?

[tutusue]

Did you notice the Energizer Bunny wears rubber slippers (or "rubbah slippahz" or "flip flops")? Someone told me a guy from Hawaii designed it, although this Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energizer_Bunny) article claims "The creative team at DDB Chicago who conceived and designed Bunny was Peter Bex (art director), Bob Konold (writer) and Lorra Rudman (creative director)". Not sure if any of them have Hawaii roots. Anyone know more about this?
Local ad agency, Milici Valenti Ng Pack Adv. Inc., is an affiliate of DDB Needham Worldwide. That said, I don't know if DDB and MVNP were affiliated when the Energizer Bunny campaign was conceptualized.
[...]
Name of the parrot for WESTERN AIRLINES ("the only way to fly")?
Wally, iirc.

[oceanpacific]

Tutu, is it "Wally-bird," or something along that line?

[tutusue]

Tutu, is it "Wally-bird," or something along that line?
Ya know, that sounds familiar!

[Honoruru]

How about Bucky Beaver for Ipana toothpaste. Remember him? Might have been in the 60s, probably the 50s.

"Brusha brusha brusha ... "

[oceanpacific]

How about Bucky Beaver for Ipana toothpaste. Remember him? Might have been in the 60s, probably the 50s.

"Brusha brusha brusha ... "

I remember it during the late '50s. My, how time flies ............... :eek:

[tutusue]

I remember it during the late '50s. My, how time flies ............... :eek:
I'm remembering the '50s, too. Crest took over in the 60s..."Look ma, no cavities."

[tutusue]

NBC peacock
Pillsbury doughboy
2 fingers walking along the Yellow Pages
The MGM Lion
Ronald McDonald
the Aflac duck
Marlboro man
Aunt Jemima
Spuds McKenzie
Buster Brown & Tige
RCA dog
McGruff dog
Smokey the Bear
Doublemint twins
Frito Bandito
Life cereal's Mikey
Mr. Clean
those gawd-awful rats (Quiznos?)
Ernest P. Worrall!!!

Now you all know why I have a 30 second mentality! :D

[Frankie's Market]

Any nominations for most politically incorrect company mascots? Here are mine:

Aunt Jemima
Rastus (Cream of Wheat)
Sambo's
Uncle Ben

How about the most prolific TV commercial spokesperson? My guess: Jim Varney.

[Pomai]

"Our Kal Bi Plates are GRRRRREAT!"...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2293034961_c7ba0984bb_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34273299@N00/2293034961/sizes/o/)

[dick]

I always thought the Yummy Korean BBQ tiger was a rip-off of the mascot from the Korean Olympics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodori.

Or maybe they actually licensed the character.

[zztype]

"Hi. I'm Joe Isuzu."

[zztype]

"Hey, Vern!"

[WindwardOahuRN]

Any nominations for most politically incorrect company mascots? Here are mine:

Aunt Jemima
Rastus (Cream of Wheat)
Sambo's
Uncle Ben



The Taco Bell chihuahua was deemed politically incorrect a few years ago. Adios, perrito---siempre en nuestros corazones. :D