Around the world, he’s known as Don Limpio, Monsieur Net and Mister Proper but, here in America, he’s just Mr. Clean—and his famous bald face has been popping up in messy kitchens since 1957.
Dreamed up by Harry Barnhart and Ernie Allen of the Chicago ad firm Tatham-Laird & Kudner, Mr. Clean was given a tough, muscular appearance that was reportedly modeled after a Navy sailor.
The melody and lyrics of his trademark jingle (“Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean…”)—which will now be stuck in your head, by the way—were penned by legendary ad man Thomas Scott Cadden, who went on to write, produce and direct Mr. Clean commercials until the 1970s. Don Cherry and Betty Bryan provided the original vocals for the jingle, which is now the longest-running in advertising history.
Over the years, Mr. Clean has been illustrated, animated and even portrayed by live actors but, surprisingly, this enduring symbol of spotlessness never did any actual cleaning of his own until 2008, when a new series of ads depicted him scrubbing kitchen appliances with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
Probably one of the more violent characters we’ve covered here, this Hawaiian Punch mascot has been pulling his cruel switcheroo on unsuspecting victims ever since his creation by cartoonist Joe Malerba in 1962.
The scenario usually goes something like this:
Punchy: “How about a nice Hawaiian Punch?”
Innocent Thirsty Guy: “Sure!”
Punchy: *DEVASTATING UPPERCUT FOR NO REASON*
Innocent Thirsty Guy: *Needs medical attention and will never trust strangers again*
But despite being kind of a jerk, not to mention having questionable taste in headwear (unless those are… antlers?), Punchy quickly became an iconic '60s and '70s ad character, helping a drink that was originally conceived as an ice cream topping (it’s true!) grow into a classic kid-friendly beverage brand with 14 fruity flavors and counting.
And while Punchy’s not above throwing a stray right cross at an undeserving face now and then, these days he’s a kinder, gentler soul who’s more or less retired his pugilistic ways. He still hasn’t given up on that hat, though.
Here's one of the classic spots:
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
This member of MLT Creative's collection of vintage ad mascots is the seafaring spokesman for Cracker Jack, a classic caramel confection with a rich (and crunchy, and sticky) American history that dates back to 1893, at the first World's Fair in Chicago.
Cracker Jack's inherent portability made it a perfect stadium snack, and soon it became synonymous with a certain national pastime - especially during the seventh-inning stretch.
Jack himself wasn't introduced until 1918, but with his distinctive nautical duds, friendly salute and, uh, wide stance, he quickly became the brand's most recognizable emblem - along with his canine companion, Bingo.
Now owned by Frito Lay, Cracker Jack has changed with the times, adding new flavors, like Butter Toffee, and even a website. But Jack and Bingo are still emblazoned on every box and, as a testament to the characters' enduring popularity, the traditional sailor's uniform of the U.S. Navy is now colloquially referred to as "the Cracker Jack."
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
Poor Michelin Man. No matter how much he exercises, he'll never get rid of that spare tire. He's also getting up there in years. Cr
eated by French artist O'Galop way, way back in 1894, he's actually one of the first known advertising characters in the world, and ranks among the likes of the Quaker Oats Pilgrim and Aunt Jemima as one of the oldest still in use.
Did you know he has a name? It's Bib. He started out as Bibendum, and in his first incarnation he looked more like a mummy with a monacle than a husky stack of tires. (In 1894, the Michelin brothers primarily sold bicycle tires — hence the thinner-looking rings.) In tho
se days — and this is something Michelin would probably like to forget — he was a cheerful, wine-guzzling fellow who had a way with women and was known as... The Road Drunkard. (Yes, really.)
During the rise of the automobile, Bib got a motorcar-tire makeover and ditched the drinking, as well as the bourgeoisie eyewear. Now, after more than a century of dedicated service, the Michelin Man is one of the world's most recognized brand mascots, representing the tire manufacturer in more than 150 countries.
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
Much as Marilyn Monroe was once Norma Jean Mortenson, and Cary Grant began life as Archibald Leach, famed ad character Speedy Alka Seltzer was born under a much less memorable moniker.
When Robert Watkins first sketched the miniature mascot for Wade Ad Agency in 1952, he called him "Sparky" — that is, until the name was amended to promote the idea of "speedy relief."
Rather than 
merely "representing" the brand, Speedy literally IS Alka Seltzer. His torso is one oversized tablet, while another sits atop his head as a sort of effervescent hat. The pint-sized pitchman popped up in magazine ads throughout the early 1950s, but didn't truly become an icon until Alka Seltzer brought an animated Speedy (voiced by actor Dick Beals) into people's homes via a long-running series of stop-motion TV spots. It didn't hurt that his "Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" jingle became stuck in everyone's head almost immediately.
From 1953-1964, Speedy went on to appear in 212 commercials. He eventually acheived fame on an international scale, and was known as "Prontito" in Spanish-speaking countries.
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
Though MLT Creative is a B2B marketing agency, we also have a passion for advertising in general, and an endless fascination with the industry’s history. That’s why our offices are home to hundreds of classic advertising characters, in figurines of plastic, porcelain, metal and clay. Some of these brand mascots are relics of a bygone era, while some endure to this day, but each of them has a story. And every week, I’ll take a closer look at one.
So be sure to check out our collection, and if there’s one you’re curious about (many are rare — some even bizarre), don’t hesitate to mention it in the comments or an email, and I’ll feature it another week.
This Week's Character Study: The Jolly Green Giant
Santa Claus isn't the only figure who's famous for bellowing "Ho, Ho, Ho" — though your kids might not be as thrilled to get gifts from this vegetable-pushing pitchman.
Created by Leo Burnett in 1928, The Jolly Green Giant has 
remained the symbol of the Green Giant food company ever since. He maintains a friendly demeanor despite his monsterous size, and is always decked out in his trademark duds: a leafy, jumbo-sized tunic, wreath and boots that match his emerald hue. He was voiced in his earliest stop-motion incarnation by jazz singer Len Dresslar, and later portrayed in live action form by Olympic athlete Keith R. Wegeman.
Over the decades, he's been name-dropped by everyone from Johnny Carson to the Ghostbusters, and has become such a beloved character that the town of Blue Earth, Minnesota erected a 55-foot-tall statue of him, which towers over the highway to this day.
Character Study is an ongoing series featuring background trivia on the classic advertising characters from the private collection of MLT Creative.
Chase Mitchell is a copywriter at MLT Creative, an Atlanta-based advertising agency specializing in business-to-business marketing.
After a long break, Mad Men Memos are back for Season 3. But before we get into what happened in Sunday's episode, here are some highlights from episode 1, "Out of Town":
- Apparently it's pretty redundant to make any 'Dick' jokes about Don's given name, as it was, in fact, actually meant to refer to... that. Thank his vulgar prostitute mom and her grudge with the condomless John who impregnated her.
- To absolutely no one in America's surprise, being pregnant hasn't stopped Betty from smoking or drinking. Also she wants the baby to be a girl so that it will distract her from how much Sally's chubbiness and suspected lesbianism disappoints her, which is infinitely.
- Peggy's secretary is not so good at the secretarying, but better at swooning over one of the new British guys acquired during last season's merger, making her one more ingredient in Peggy's big pot o' misery.
- Bertram has added "ancient and disturbing Japanese tentacle porn" to his long list of Asian-themed interests, and has seen fit to hang one on the wall because it reminds him of advertising. Seriously.
- Sterling Cooper fires the head of accounts, Burt Peterson, just in time for his ailing wife to probably die of cancer. The firings at Sterling Coop have apparently been going on for awhile between seasons, but the expectedness doesn't stop Peterson from making a big fat angry scene about it.
- Pete gets promoted to Petersons' position. Then Ken does too. Wait, what? There's a hilarious scene in the elevator when Pete and Ken are both semi-congratulating each other without realizing that they've received the same promotion. They soon find out though, and all of Sterling Cooper's accounts are divvied up between the two of them. Looks like its going to be a battle to the death. Or at least the unemployment line.
- Joan reiterates her plan, first expressed at the end of Season 2, to depart the advertising agency after her wedding.
- On a business trip together, Don and Sal make up fake idenities (something they both LOVE to do, in their own little ways) and dine with a pair of stewardesses from their flight. Don absconds with his, and ironically ends up telling her something true that even Betty doesn't know - it's his (Dick Whitman's) birthday.
-Sal is about to go to bed alone, but not before calling a bellhop up to fix the AC. The bellhop looks to fix something else instead, and Sal, a closeted homosexual in his mid-30s, finally has his first gay experience. Unfortunately for him, the fire alarm goes off, and as Don and his paramour descend down the fire escape, he spots Sal in flagrante. But, like the secret-keeping guy that he is, Don doesn't let on that he knows - though he does take the opportunity to ratchet up the tension on the flight back.
Now, onto episode 2, "Love Among the Ruins":
This episode felt more oddly paced than the last, mostly because of some ill-placed commercial breaks. But other than that, things are really getting rolling this season, which is a stark contrast to the series' usual slow-burn structure.
It began with an overlong-for-my-taste clip of Ann Margret in Bye-Bye Birdie, who despite her undeniable beauty managed to get on my last nerve by caterwauling at an annoying volume and with bizarre enunciation ("Bird-hee?"). Did people really used to like that movie? The guys seem impressed, anyway, and Diet Pepsi wants Sterling Cooper to use the provocative clip as inspiration in devising a campaign around their new diet drink, which has the unfortunate moniker "Patio" (It's a "working" name, apparently, but it needs to "work" on not existing).
Everyone is down with the idea except Peggy, who takes issue with what she sees as blatant sexism, apparently forgetting where she works and what year it is. She comes to Don, who advises her to abandon all pretenses of artistry, leaving her a little disillusioned with her occasional mentor. In an attempt to embrace her gender role, she croons the Ann Margret song to her mirror (in a slightly more tolerable way than the original), then hits the streets for a Don-like night of getting drunk and hooking up.
Pete gets off to a rocky start in his quest to outdo Ken for the head of accounts gig, thanks to a disasterous PR pitch to the guys who plan to demolish Penn Station to make way for Madison Square Garden. More accurately, it was thanks to Paul, who in his ill-advised attempt to "play devil's advocate," expressed a little (read: a lot) too much sympathy toward the growing backlash against Penn Station's destruction. Don and Roger are tasked with cleaning up their mess. They patch things up with the MSG people, with the caveat that Paul is no longer allowed within a beard's length of the campaign.
Just when things are getting back on track, Pryce (one of the Brits in charge since the merger) walks in to inform Don that London will be pulling Sterling Cooper's involvement with Madison Square Garden after all. Don is livid at the missed opportunity, but there's nothing he can do.
Roger clashes with his daughter over the prospect of bringing his young new wife to the former's impending nuptials. But the biggest problem facing that wedding is an unseen one: it's planned for what will be the day after the JFK assassination.
Betty's brother William is in town with their increasingly senile father, Gene. William tells Betty he's putting the old man in a home. Betty accuses her brother of trying to get his hands on the family mansion, and then it's Don's turn to swoop in for the kill. He pulls William aside and tells him in so uncertain terms that he will NOT be getting the house, and that Gene will be staying at Casa Draper for the time being, with William footing the bill. Unfortunately, Grandpa Gene goes from zero to crazy in about 30 seconds flat. Talk about your ultimate backfire.
Next Week: Gene goes wilder!
Chase Mitchell is a copy writer at Atlanta-based B2B marketing firm MLT Creative. Located on the east side of Atlanta, GA, with a Northeast office in Rhode Island, MLT Creative was founded in 1984 by partners Billy Mitchell, Craig Lindberg and Glenn Taylor.
Known as the Idea Launch PadTM for B-to-B marketers, MLT Creative's services include strategic planning, positioning, brand development, advertising and sales promotions for business-to-business clients.
If you’ve yet to experience the utter brilliance and retro grandeur of AMC’s “Mad Men” — and, according to the ratings, most of you have not — you’re doing yourself a profound disservice. So remedy that, this Sunday night, by steering clear of the empty eye-calories of reality TV — that means no plus-size whiners looking for love, or shrill momzillas juggling armfuls of ankle-biters — and give scripted drama another chance. Because this is a rich, rewarding series that deserves your undivided attention.
I’ve been hooked on this mesmerizing saga from the very beginning, and for many different reasons. The first, and perhaps most important, is that “Mad Men” happened to premiere at a time when I myself was first considering a move to the advertising/marketing world (from journalism, in case you’re wondering). As I made that jump, the show provided an entertaining, fictionalized taste of what I was in for in my new vocation — much in the same way that Judd Apatow’s similarly underapprecited mini-masterpiece “Undeclared” gave me my first look at college dorm life during my senior year of high school. Of course, working at a B2B marketing firm in Atlanta in 2009 isn’t quite the highballs-and-harassment office landscape of Sterling-Cooper, but you get the idea.
The second reason I was drawn to the show was Matthew Weiner, a name with which any self-respecting Sopranos fanatic should be well familiar. As one of David Chase’s go-to writers on that seven-season sojourn into operatic, televised literature, he more than proved his mettle as an expert storyteller. With that kind of dedicated overachiever at the helm of this new 60s-set, liquor-and-Lucky-Strikes opus, I was committed from the get-go.
The third thing that attracted me was a deep and unexplainable fascination I have with the time period. It isn’t just the fashions and the art direction, the music and the dialogue; it’s the ads — every gorgeous, retro inch of them. The use of authentic, historic brands as Sterling Cooper clients — from Heineken and General Mills to Maidenform and Kodak — compliments the painstaking accuracy applied to every other aspect of the vintage atmosphere, creating a world that feels ripped right from this one.
Of course, if you’re just tuning in this Sunday, you will have missed quite a bit. So check out my previous blog entry, written during Season 2, for brief rundowns of the primary and tertiary characters.
But don’t take my word for it. A few paragraphs simply cannot convey 13 episodes of brooding pathos, building tension, lovingly detailed 60s sets and costumes, and gorgeous cinematography — not to mention character development so deep and rich it’s hard to believe these people are fictional. Simply put, why are you still reading when you should be ordering Seasons 1 and 2 online?
I ask you — make that beg you — to clear your Sunday schedule and dive into the smoke-filled world of Sterling-Cooper this Sunday night at 10 PM ET.
But first, take a moment to turn yourself a catroonified version of a Sterling-Cooper employee at Mad Men Yourself. Here's mine:
Chase Mitchell is a copy writer at Atlanta-based B2B marketing firm MLT Creative. Located on the east side of Atlanta, GA, with a Northeast office in Rhode Island, MLT Creative was founded in 1984 by partners Billy Mitchell, Craig Lindberg and Glenn Taylor.
Known as the Idea Launch Pad™ for B-to-B marketers, MLT Creative’s services include strategic planning, positioning, brand development, advertising and sales promotions for business-to-business clients.