Redartz: Hey gang, we get a double category topic today. Anyone who watched Saturday morning or after school tv (or really, any tv) in the 60's, 70's or 80's will likely recognize some of these characters. Advertisers of the era seemed to rely heavily on the appeal of animated characters to sell products to all us impressionable kids. It must have worked, because the practice was ubiquitous. Paricularly in cereal and candy advertising, animated characters filled the commercial breaks in those great Saturday morning shows. It makes sense, you should have Count Chocula on screen prompting you to get up and pour another bowl to get through the next show!
How many of these do you remember?
Poppin' Fresh, the Pillsbury Dough Boy: He always seemed to 'pop up' on those Peanuts holiday specials, and was on nightly in prime time. He was so 'pop'ular that they made a series of rubber dolls of him and his family.
Tony the Tiger: The great Thurl Ravencroft gave voice to him for many years, way back to when they were advertised as "Sugar Frosted Flakes".
Lucky, the Lucky Charms Leprechaun: He still can be seen frolicking across the television landscape trying vainly to protect his stash of Hearts, Moons, Stars and Clovers.
Milton the Toaster: Spokes- appliance for Kellogg's Pop Tarts. Do they still even make the 'plain' ones without frosting?
Sonny the Cuckoo Bird: Seen for decades in a strangely obsessive pursuit of Cocoa Puffs, which apparently put him into one heck of a sugar high.
Wallace the Waffle Whiffer: Sort of kin to the Cuckoo Bird, Wallace had a thing for Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffles. Or at least their smell...
Quisp: This small propeller-headded alien, along with his rival Quake, starred in countless commercials from the brilliant Jay Ward studios (who gave us Rocky and Bullwinkle, and George of the Jungle). Quisp lasted quite a lot longer than Quake did. I can still hear his voice...
The Quik Bunny: Whether chocolate or strawberry, if you drank Nestle's Quik you knew the Bunny. And apparently the Bunny knew Superman...
The Michelin Man: Friendly fellow made, it seemed, from pneumatics. If you ever watched tv sports in the 70's you surely saw him. He certainly appealed to me, but I was not really in the market for tires at age 12.
The Hydrox "Drox": HB, this one's for you. Everyone knows Oreos, but Sunshine Hydrox was available also; if much less familiar. Maybe that's why they came up with this smiling glob of cream filling, to invite hungry kids to indulge in Drox devouring...
The Hamm's Beer Bear: Another case of odd advertising. Not too many kids were imbibing Hamm's, but many were attracted to the mischievous bear in his scenic mountainous commercials.
Bud Man: Another character pushing the suds. He seemed to show up all over the place on Saturday Sports shows, and on gas station walls.
Kool-Aid Man: Refreshing thirsty kids everywhere, while wrecking the walls of countless homes and buildings. Oh yeahhhh....
Loveable Truly, the Alpha Bits Postman: The younger among you may not recall him, but he delivered the message to eat up those bowls of Post Cereal through the 60's into the early 70's. He actually appeared in a full-length Saturday morning cartoon series: "Linus the Lionhearted", along with a cast comprised of all the Post cereal characters. Wasn't long after that the FCC put a stop to such things.
Hope you recall these ; and also hope you remember some others that aren't presented here. If so, by all means, share your thoughts with the BitBA assembled.
