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Introduction to Advertising Characters and Icons
Focus on Chicago, Illinois as the home of the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency, also known as the Critter Agency. This nickname stemmed from the agency's pioneering work in creating memorable animal and human-like characters for various brands.
The agency is recognized for creating iconic marketing figures that have become household names, such as Tony the Tiger for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and the Keebler Elves for Keebler cookies.
Early Work at Leo Burnett Advertising Agency
Don Tennant: Head of Leo Burnett's nascent television division in the early 1950s, a period when television was rapidly emerging as a powerful advertising medium.
Television Experience: Although new to working specifically in advertising for television, Tennant possessed considerable knowledge of the technical and creative aspects of television writing and production, more so than many of his colleagues at the time. This expertise was crucial as the agency navigated the new medium.
He was fortunate to learn about advertising directly from Leo Burnett himself, who, despite his own initial unfamiliarity with TV, had a strong personal and professional interest in developing effective television advertising strategies.
First Major Project: Tennant's first significant task involved helping to launch Kellogg's new children's cereal, Sugar Frosted Flakes.
Character Development: Early in the creative process, multiple character concepts were explored to find a mascot that would appeal to the target demographic of children. The initial roster included:
Elmo the Elephant, a large and friendly figure.
Newt the Canoe, an unconventional, perhaps adventurous, option.
Katie the Kangaroo, intended to be a maternal or fun companion.
Tony the Tiger, envisioned as a strong, energetic character.
Final Outcome: After extensive testing and conceptual refinement, Tony the Tiger and Katie the Kangaroo were ultimately chosen to proceed. However, the product packaging prominently featured Tony, who quickly became the overwhelming favorite. The art director, Eugene Kolz, played a key role in Tony's visual development.
Sales Outcome: Tony’s character, with his enthusiastic personality and powerful slogan, was highly favored by children, directly leading to the highly successful sales of Sugar Frosted Flakes. In contrast, Katie's character, introduced as an alternative, proved to be less effective in appealing to the audience and was eventually phased out.
Tony the Tiger's Development
Character Design Changes: Tony's initial design, which was more rigid and aggressive, was quickly modified for a softer, more approachable look. This change was crucial to enhance his expressive capabilities and allow for more fluid and dynamic movements in animations, making him more engaging for children.
Voice Actor: The distinctive, booming voice of Tony was provided by Thurl Ravenscroft, a renowned voice actor known for his deep baritone. His voice delivered the character's enthusiastic catchphrase with impact. The character specifically needed a catchphrase that was not only memorable but also encapsulated the irresistible appeal of the cereal, resonating immediately with the audience.
Notably, the phrase involving the word “great,” delivered with profound enthusiasm, became iconic and synonymous with the brand.
First Advertisement Air Date: The inaugural advertisement featuring Tony the Tiger aired in 1951, rapidly making Tony an overnight sensation. His vibrant personality and palpable excitement over the cereal created an instant connection with the audience, contributing significantly to the product's early success.
Catchphrase: "They're great!" became not just a slogan for the cereal but an enduring cultural reference, powerfully contributing to brand recognition and recall across generations.
Iconic Representation in Advertising
Impact of Icons: Advertising icons provide a relatable and often personified image that can humanize a brand, making it feel more accessible and trustworthy to consumers. This humanization significantly enhances consumer recognition, connection, and loyalty.
Icons often carry human-like characteristics, emotions, and storylines, which make them exceptionally memorable and foster a deeper emotional bond with the audience.
Longevity and Evolution of Characters: Creating timeless characters like Tony the Tiger requires continuous evolution and adaptation to remain relevant in an ever-changing market. This includes updating their appearance, messaging, and overall persona as societal values, consumer preferences, and advertising trends shift.
As the original generation of children who loved Tony grew older, adaptations in his portrayal were strategically made to retain his relevance, not only to new generations of children but also to older consumers who grew up with him, ensuring a continuous connection across various demographics.
Tony the Tiger's Familial Developments
Tony Junior: The character of Tony Junior, Tony the Tiger’s son, was introduced as an attempt to extend the family appeal of the brand. However, he was ultimately phased out due to several challenges.
The character faced difficulties, particularly as the voice of Tony Junior changed during various auditions and productions, leading to inconsistency. This, coupled with a lack of strong consumer connection, resulted in underperformance in sales attributed to his presence.
Adapting to Health Trends: As public health consciousness soared and concerns about sugar consumption grew, "sugar" was removed from the product's name, transforming it into "Frosted Flakes." Simultaneously, Tony's character was rebranded to be more athletic and health-conscious, often depicted engaging in sports and promoting an active lifestyle.
Catchphrase Evolution: This rebranding was reinforced with an evolved message focusing on how the cereal provides essential energy for an active day, subtly shifting the emphasis from sweetness to nutritional benefits within the new health paradigm.
Marketing Strategies for Mascots
A good mascot is not merely a visual representation but is characterized by its ability to embody the brand's identity, values, and core message fully and authentically.
The relationship between the character and the product is absolutely crucial; they should become inseparable in the consumer's mind for effective and lasting branding. The mascot should be a natural extension of the product, not just an add-on.
Charlie the Tuna Campaign
Introduction of Charlie: Developed as a distinctive mascot for Starkist Tuna by the Leo Burnett agency, created by Tom Rogers.
Charlie was represented as an aspirational yet comically unsuccessful tuna—he wanted to be caught by Starkist because they only caught "good" tuna, but he was always rejected for having "good taste" rather than tasting good. Through this relatable character flaw, he paradoxically became highly successful in advertising, appealing to consumers' sense of humor and identification with a lovable underdog.
Creation Process: Tom Rogers, the creative mind behind Charlie, drew inspiration from a beatnik he knew, infusing the character with a cool, intellectual, and slightly counter-culture vibe, distinguishing him from typical, wholesome advertising characters.
Voice Casting: Herschel Bernardi, known for his natural Brooklyn accent and distinctive voice, was specifically selected for Charlie. His voice lent an authentic, somewhat world-weary, yet charming quality to the character, enhancing his lovable loser persona.
Brand Messaging: Charlie's persona as a lovable loser resonated strongly with consumers. His campaigns cleverly broke conventional expectations of advertising, particularly in the competitive canned food market, by not presenting an overtly perfect character but one with endearing flaws. This approach created a memorable and enduring connection with the audience.
Unfortunately, Charlie was briefly removed from advertising due to internal management issues and changes in marketing direction at Starkist. However, due to strong public demand and recognition of his established success, he was later reinstated under Heinz Foods (which acquired Starkist), leading to his continued character success and cultural impact.
Energizer Bunny
Creation: Launched in 1989, the Energizer Bunny was meticulously designed to visually and audibly showcase the superior endurance and long-lasting power of Energizer batteries, constantly marching forward.
Marketing Approach: Unlike traditional battery commercials, which often focused on technical specifications or mundane comparisons, the bunny encapsulated fun, surprise, and a persistent, almost disruptive energy. This broke away from standard, often dry, advertising norms in the category by creating a memorable narrative of continuous action.
Backlash and Resurgence: Initially, the character faced some backlash for being perceived as too persistent and even annoying by some viewers. This led to a brief strategic withdrawal. The marketing strategy involved a temporary absence to recalibrate public perception and rekindle audience interest through scarcity, demonstrating that the character was indeed missed and effective upon its return.
Jack in the Box's Jack
Background: Jack Box originated as the friendly, clown-headed mascot for Jack in the Box restaurants in 1951. However, he was retired in 1980 due to perceived limited appeal and a desire by the company to target an older demographic, leading to the infamous "Bye-Bye Jack" commercials where his iconic head was blown up.
Revival: After a series of marketing campaigns in the early 1990s struggled to connect with customers and the brand faced a major food safety crisis, the board urgently sought a memorable figure to re-engage consumers. This led to Jack's dramatic return in 1995. The revamped character, now personified as the CEO with an edgier, often sarcastic, and somewhat vindictive persona (a nod to his previous "demise"), was aimed at appealing to a younger, more cynical demographic, effectively turning a past failure into a strategic rebranding triumph.
Colonel Sanders and KFC
Background: Harlan Sanders, the visionary creator of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), transitioned from a humble truck stop owner in Kentucky to establishing a global franchise identity. His entrepreneurial spirit and insistence on quality were central to his brand.
He is globally recognized for his distinct secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, which he perfected and guarded fiercely, making KFC chicken unique.
Enduring Legacy: Sanders became the authentic, ever-present face of his brand, building a personal connection with consumers through his folksy charm and commitment to his product. He maintained a significant cultural presence, often appearing in commercials and at store openings even in old age.
Following his passing in 1980, his iconic white suit, black tie, and goatee image continued and still continues to represent KFC, serving as a powerful, enduring symbol of quality, tradition, and the distinctive taste of Southern-style fried chicken.
Kool-Aid Man and Product Representation
Introduction: The Kool-Aid Man became a universally beloved mascot, uniquely merging direct product representation with an energetic brand identity. His creation evolved from internal marketing strategies based in Hastings, Nebraska.
Initially, the concept began simply as a smiling face on a pitcher, a static representation of the product. This evolved significantly by 1975 when he became a fully animated, lively, and often dramatically appearing character, famously bursting through walls with his catchphrase "Oh Yeah!," symbolizing instant refreshment and fun.
Mr. Peanut
Creation and Evolution: Mr. Peanut was developed by Planters Peanuts (originally Planters Nut and Chocolate Company) following a child's drawing submission in 1916. He was designed to embody sophistication and class, depicted as a dapper gentleman with a top hat, monocle, and cane.
Over decades, he evolved beyond a simple advertising figure into a highly recognizable and collectible brand character with a dedicated following, appearing on various merchandise and symbolizing the enduring quality and premium nature of Planters products.