How have Uncle Ben, Mr. Peanut, the Michelin Man and others made the jump from traditional to digital?
The most enduring brand icons weren’t born in an interactive era. The Michelin Man was pushing tires well before anyone sent an email. When Tony the Tiger made his first appearance, creating a banner ad required paint and some sturdy canvas. Even a more recent character creation such as Chester the Cheetah (“born” in 1986) grew up in an analog age. In the accelerated world of the web, the younger icons are getting old and the older icons are positively ancient. Age hasn’t slowed the most popular brand mascots. After 25, 50 or 100 years of diligent salesmanship, one of the defining characteristics of so many popular brand icons seems to be their stunning longevity. Not only have the strongest brand mascots proven their effectiveness for several generations, they’ve been around so long they’re now an indelible part of the American cultural landscape. As long as their icons have some life left in them, the issue isn’t replacement but representation, making the most of a powerful asset. Th
