Fictional spokespeople

What do a clown, a tiger, and a jug have in common? Famous brand mascots

Image: 三岁 陈

Who knew a tiger could help sell cereal? Or that adding a smiley face to a juice pitcher would mark the inception of a cultural icon? Some brand mascots started as marketing experiments and evolved into household names, often becoming even more famous than the products they represent. Let’s dive into the origins of these anthropomorphized symbols and explore whether they were rooted in reality or purely imagined.

Image: Brian J. Tromp

Wendy, the famous red-haired, pigtailed girl, was not entirely fictional: She was named after the founder’s daughter. Dave Thomas opened his new restaurant serving square burgers in 1969 and wanted a family-friendly image that conveyed warmth. To achieve that, he decided to use the name and likeness of his daughter Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas.

The original Wendy’s restaurant in Michigan featured pictures of the real girl, but this was not replicated anywhere else. Dave revealed years later that he regretted building the brand around his daughter, which, he felt, exposed her more than intended. Instead, Dave himself appeared in the brand’s commercials until his passing in 2002. After 2010, the real Wendy proudly took over that role.

Image: PublicDomainPictures

Originally, Kool-Aid ads in the 1950s featured a pitcher of Kool-Aid with a simple smiley face. Executives liked the concept, and as the brand evolved, they opted for a more dynamic, engaging character to connect with children—thus, Kool-Aid Man was born.

By the 1970s, Kool-Aid Man had taken on a fully anthropomorphic form: a big, round pitcher with limbs and a face. Known for his dramatic entrances and unforgettable catchphrase, "Oh yeah!," he would burst through walls to save the day and bring refreshment, becoming a hero to thirsty kids. He has since become a true pop culture figure, frequently cited online and in comedy TV shows like Family Guy.

Image: Taryn Elliott

Even though General Mills's Betty Crocker has never been a real person, she has ranked among America's most trusted figures for decades. In 1945, Fortune magazine named her the second most popular woman in America, right after Eleanor Roosevelt.

She was created by the Washburn-Crosby Company to personalize responses to customer inquiries about baking. This, in turn, helped make the brand appear more human and friendly. "Crocker" was a nod to William Crocker, a retired executive of the company. Over the years, a series of "portraits" were published to depict how she looked, which only fueled the belief of thousands who thought the famous cook was real.

Image: Brett Jordan

Characteristic bright yellow-and-red colors and a wide grin: that is the trademark of the clown mascot of McDonald’s fast-food chain. He is probably one of the most recognizable mascots in the world. Ronald has remained McDonald's most iconic mascot since the 1960s, though the brand introduced other characters over the years, such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Birdie the Early Bird, all of whom populate the imaginary McDonaldland.

This clown was inspired by the success of a Washington, D.C.-based clown named "Bozo." Willard Scott, the actor behind Bozo, played the first Ronald McDonald, wearing an early version of the iconic costume, complete with a cup for a nose and a tray on his head.

Image: Erik Mclean

Colonel Sanders has always been KFC's main mascot, though he’s been portrayed by different actors over the years, including Reba McEntire, George Hamilton, and the ironically named Norm Macdonald. Colonel Harland Sanders was a real person, born in 1890, who began selling his famous fried chicken from a roadside restaurant in Kentucky during the 1930s. Known for his white suit, black string tie, and goatee, Sanders established a look that would define KFC for generations.

After selling his company, he remained the face of KFC, making public appearances as "the Colonel." His image became iconic, and his smiling face is forever lit up in KFC restaurants around the world.

Image: Laura Paredis

The Michelin Man is officially called Bibendum, or "Bib" for short. The name comes from the Latin phrase "Nunc est bibendum," meaning "Now is the time to drink." This was because the first ad featuring him showed an illustration of Bibendum holding a glass filled with nails, broken glass, and other sharp objects, with the slogan, "Michelin tires drink up obstacles."

Bibendum was born in 1894 when the founders of Michelin, noticed a stack of tires that resembled a human figure. Four years later, artist Marius Rossillon brought him to life in the first iconic poster. Back then, Bib was supposed to stand for the toughness and resilience of Michelin tires, but over the years, his look softened, and he took on a friendlier appearance, ditching the accessories he had been adorned with at first, like spectacles and a cigar.

Image: Anna Shvets

In the late 1950s, Procter & Gamble had an idea: Why not create a genie-like, powerful character to embody the toughness and reliability of cleaning products? Thus, the bald and muscular Mr. Clean was born.

Some say he was loosely modeled after a real-life U.S. Navy sailor, the walking image of strength, trustworthiness, and an impeccable cleaning standard. Whether true or not, Mr. Clean became a household name. Known as "Don Limpio" in Spanish-speaking countries and "Monsieur Propre" in France, his look has remained the same internationally.

Image: holdosi

The "Captain Morgan pose," with one leg propped up on a barrel, has become iconic and is often replicated by fans. Captain Morgan even launched a "Pose Off" challenge, inviting people to share their best Captain Morgan stance on social media.

Captain Morgan, from the eponymous rum brand, was inspired by Sir Henry Morgan, a real 17th-century Welsh privateer who became famous in the Caribbean for his exploits and later served as Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. The mascot’s swashbuckling design—complete with a tricorne hat, pirate attire, and the famous pose—invites drinkers to "Live Like the Captain."

Image: pariwat pannium

Juan Valdez is a coffee brand, but before that, he was a standalone symbol. The coffee farmer was the mascot for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. Introduced in the late 1950s, he was meant to personify the hard-working Colombian coffee farmers and distinguish Colombian coffee from other brands in the international market.

The point was to emphasize that all coffee under the Juan Valdez name was 100% Colombian and hand-picked. The character of Juan Valdez, with his traditional coffee farmer attire, mustache, and hat, was designed to reflect the authenticity and heritage of Colombian coffee. He is sometimes accompanied by his mule, Conchita, who helps him transport coffee beans.

Image: Dorjan Frrokaj

Let’s wrap up with the one and only behind the famous slogan: "They’re grrreat!" Tony the Tiger is the mascot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal, one of the most beloved mascots in advertising. In the 1950s, Kellogg’s also experimented with a few other potential mascots for Frosted Flakes, including Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant, and Newt the Gnu, but Tony was the clear fan favorite.

Tony was created in the 1950s by Leo Burnett advertising agency. He was designed to symbolize strength, athleticism, and positivity, encouraging parents to purchase what was marketed as the healthiest cereal for their children. His personality came to life when voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft (also known for singing You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch) gave Tony his iconic, deep voice and signature catchphrase.

Warding off evil spirits

Beyond luck: The surprising origins of 12 popular superstitions

Image: Ellie Burgin

Many of our most enduring superstitions —such as refraining from stepping under a ladder or avoiding spilling salt— date back centuries. Many have to do with religion, while others we have borrowed from ancient cultures’ traditions. Yet, almost all of them have in common the need to prevent bad fortune or, on the contrary, to attract good luck. In this article, we have compiled 12 popular superstitions and their respective origins. You probably already follow many of them, but do you know the fascinating stories behind them?

Image: Bekky Bekks

Did you know that many buildings don't have a 13th floor, and many hotels skip rooms ending in 13? This is a superstition deeply rooted in Western culture! The bad reputation of the number 13 is at odds with the lucky number 12, which represents wholeness: the number of months of the year, the gods of Olympus, the signs of the zodiac, etc.

The number 13, on the other hand, is associated with a legend from Norse mythology. Loki, a shape-shifter god, was the thirteenth to arrive at a party, where he tricked another guest into killing the god Baldur. Does this story sound familiar? For Christianity, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, Judas, was the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper.

Image: Hannah Troupe

While felines were considered sacred animals in civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, in the Middle Ages, black cats began to be associated with witches.

During the time of the European Inquisition, many women were accused of practicing witchcraft, and their black feline companions suffered the same fate. The belief that black cats were the incarnation of witches and that crossing paths with one brought bad luck reached the United States at the time of the Salem witch trials.

Image: Villager Boy

We are all afraid to walk under a ladder, but very few know the origin of this superstition that extends across several cultures. For Christianity, anything in the shape of a triangle symbolizes the Holy Trinity. If you walk under a triangle-shaped ladder, you would be profaning the sacred and invoking the devil.

In medieval times, in turn, the space below an open ladder was associated with the bottom of the gallows. Thus, it was believed that a person who made the mistake of walking under a ladder would face their own death by hanging in the near future.

Image: Jordan McDonald

Some believe this superstition is ancient, dating back to the Egyptians, no less! As far as we know, in the Land of the Pharaohs, it was very common to use parasols to protect from the sun, but opening them indoors was considered an insult to the Sun God.

Another theory claims that our belief that opening an umbrella indoors brings bad luck originated in Victorian England. At the time, modern mechanical umbrellas began to become popular, and people considered it too dangerous to open them indoors. Pretty common sense, don't you think?

Image: Rijksmuseum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The idea that rabbits bring good luck is probably rooted in Celtic folklore. They believed that since rabbits live underground, they have a direct line of communication with the gods.

In more recent times, the animal's reputation for fertility made rabbit amulets popular among women hoping to conceive. Most rabbit's foot amulets today are made of fake fur and plastic, yet the superstition is as alive as ever.

Image: kropekk_pl

There are at least two theories that explain why spilling salt brings bad luck. In ancient civilizations such as Sumerian, Egyptian, and Greek, salt was an extremely expensive and coveted commodity, so spilling it was a huge waste.

The other theory states that salt was considered a magical substance used to perform rituals. Spilling it meant the devil was invited in. Luckily, if you make the mistake of spilling some salt, there is a way to nullify the bad luck: just throw a pinch over your left shoulder to scare away the bad spirits!

Image: Brandon Nickerson

In most English-speaking countries, it is almost an unconscious reflex to bless someone when they sneeze. Some believe this custom has its origin in an ancient superstition: the soul is separated from the body when we sneeze.

However, the most accurate theory states that this tradition began in the sixth century A.D. when a deadly disease began to spread through Italy. Pope Gregory the Great instructed people to pray for the sick when they sneezed with a simple but, according to him, infallible plea, "God bless you!"

Image: Kağan Karatay

According to this popular belief, breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. But why seven and not six or eight? Believe it or not, there’s an explanation!

For one, in ancient times, the mirror was considered a literal reflection of the soul. This, added to the Roman myth that our body is "renewed" every seven years, fed the superstition that breaking a mirror means condemning your soul to seven years of bad luck.

Image: John Cardamone

Horseshoes are a classic symbol of good luck. But do you know where the tradition comes from? It originated in a Christian story about a 10th-century saint. According to legend, Dunstan was a blacksmith who one day was asked by the deceiving Devil to shoe his horse. The clever Dunstan, however, saw through the disguise and nailed the shoe to the Devil's foot instead.

The blacksmith finally agreed to remove the painful nails only if the Devil promised never to enter a house with a horseshoe hanging on the doorway. Still today, it is customary to hang a horseshoe with seven nails over the door to protect houses, barns, and stables from evil spirits.

Image: Djalma Paiva Armelin

In the rich tapestry of symbols created by humans throughout history, few are as universal as the four-leaf clover. This rare variant of the common clover has transcended its botanical virtues to become an emblem of good luck.

The tradition of the four-leaf clover dates back to antiquity. Druids, the high-ranking professional class in ancient Celtic cultures, considered them powerful amulets capable of warding off evil spirits and bringing good luck. The difficulty of finding one in the wild —an estimated 1 in 5,000— probably contributed to its mystique and value as an amulet.

Image: Leo_Visions

Knocking on wood to prevent disappointment is a very popular superstition in the United States. However, it has its origins in the ancient pagans who believed that spirits lived in trees. To invoke them and ask for protection, they would knock on the trunks. The ritual was also performed to thank them when something good happened.

Other cultures later adopted the tradition. Some Christians associated the gesture with the rite of touching a crucifix when taking an oath, while Jews connected it to knocking on the wooden doors of synagogues when seeking refuge during the Spanish Inquisition.

Image: Steve Wrzeszczynski

The custom of predicting the weather through animals was adapted from German culture. In the ancient tradition of Candlemas, celebrated on February 2, members of the clergy distributed blessed candles that were used to determine how long the winter would last.

In the same way, Germans also kept track of the hibernation time of animals. They used to closely follow badgers, but when settlers came to the United States and chose Pennsylvania as their home, they found groundhogs to be a better option.