5 of the Creepiest Brand Mascots

Brand Mascots can be great for a company and make the audience feel like they can trust them and that they are fun. Then there are some brand mascots that are just plain creepy. I have complied five of the creepiest brand mascots from (5) being the least creepy to (1) being the creepiest below. Check it out.

5.) Mr. Six

Mr. Six is my number five creepiest brand mascot. I used to find him funny when I was younger and he did make me want to go to Six Flags. However, I have since then grown up, and upon further analysis he is a pretty creepy guy. Look at who he is. Mr. Six is an old man in a tuxedo dancing like there is no tomorrow. Granted it is funny but something that is funny can still be creepy, and Mr. Six fits the bill. Although I must say compared to the next four he is not really creepy at all.

Image found on Google Images

4.) The Fruit Gusher Heads

I like fruit gushers as much as the next person, but I am not going to lie, the older commercials creeped me out. A kid would pop a gusher into his mouth and then... BAM! His head turned into a giant fruit. Why would I want to eat something that would turn my head into a fruit with a face? It's just creepy. Not only that, but the kids were enjoying it. I don't remember the last time I was thinking you know what would be neat if I could change my head into a fruit. I would hate to meet a person with a fruit as a head in the dark.

Image found on Google Images

3.) Jack in the Box

Image found on Google Images

I had never seen Jack before a few days ago when I asked over twitter who people thought was the worst mascot and someone answered me Jack in the Box. Here is what she said:

I had to check him out and I agree with my friend that Jack is a creepy guy. Having a giant white ball with a pointy nose, yellow hat, and wide smile on a human body is not my idea of a mascot I would trust. In fact he is like the Fruit Heads except at least they can change their facial expression. He is a creepy mascot and not one I would want to ever meet.

2.) The Burger King

Sometimes he makes me laugh. Most of the time he makes me uncomfortable. Always he's creepy.

This is The Burger King.

Image Found on Google Images

He is no longer on the air anymore, but I remember when commercials with him were running. I think they may have intended him to be creepy, maybe to be funny as well, but mostly they accomplished creepy. The King would always be staring at the people in the commercial. In one he was sitting on the bed as a guy woke up. Who would want that? His insistent staring and never talking creeped me out. He was a good concept for a brand mascot, but a plastic kings head that stares only served to make him a mascot that made me unenthused to go to Burger King.

1.) Ronald McDonald

Image found on Google Images

Ronald is a great mascot and has earned popularity all over the world, but he is the creepiest mascot I have seen. This is probably due to my fear of clowns, but I do not find Ronald as a person that I want to hang around with or for that matter get a burger from. He is always so happy and busy helping out kids so he can put a smile on their face. That is pretty nice. But who is he behind that make up? I don't know. Also why is a clown selling hamburgers and fries? He has not had the rest of his creepy gang in a while, but that does not lessen the unease and discomfort I get around him or watching him. To me he is therefore the creepiest brand mascot around.

Which mascot or character creeps you out the most? Let me know below.

5 Great Brand Mascots

Some mascots do better than others. A great mascot creates a link between them and the brand in the audience and is memorable. It convey's some type of message that the brand wants to convey. I will look at five brand mascots that I find do a great job for their brands:

#5 The Most Interesting Man in the World

Who would not want to be this guy? Every time I see his commercials I do. His history as they tell it is

awesome. His take on the world and his knowing one liners lend people to want to be him. This is exactly what Dos Equis wants. They want people to want to be the Most Interesting Man in the World, and one thing that he does is drink Dos Equis. People may not be able to do what this man has done but they can drink Dos Equis and be like him in at least one way. The delivery of lines by the Most Interesting Man in the World are smooth and friendly, like he is giving advice to the audience. Not only that but he leaves you with 'Stay thirsty, my friends', which entices the audience to trust him after all they want to be like him and he just called them friends. He has gotten a lot of brand awareness for Dos Equis and is connected to the brand in everyone's minds.                                                                                                       Image found on Google Images

#4 Lucky from Lucky Charms

There are a lot of great cereal brand mascots out there and I decided I would pick one.  After going through the list of them I chose Lucky who is still going strong. Everyone knows Lucky from Lucky Charms and everyone knows his jingle and last line 'They're Magically Delicious'. This line and his jingle are referenced in a few movies as well, one of which is Austin Powers. I chose Lucky because he does his job and does it well. As a kid I always wanted Lucky Charms because of the commercials. All the kids chased him but he would always get away. The cereal the way he sang about it sounded delicious and his irish accent caught my attention every time. He is very embedded in his brand, to the point where I can't imagine if Lucky Charms got rid of him. They go hand in hand. 

Image found on Google Images

#3 Taco Bell Chihuahua 

The Chihuahua is a blast from the past but I have never forgotten him since I first saw the Taco Bell Commercials that he appeared in. He was a major hit among the audience as his famous tagline (I remember it clearly) 'Yo Quiero Taco Bell!' circulated and is still remembered today. He even had a variety of little stuffed chihuahua's that said different lines (My Aunt had them all). His commercials made people want Taco Bell because they focused on how all the Chihuahua wanted was what ever taco bell was featuring at the time. I in particularly remember the Godzilla commercial that still cracks me up. If interested it can be found on youtube. The Taco Bell Chihuahua won people over with a hilarious desire for Taco Bell. He built brand awareness and want for Taco Bell. 

Images found on Google Images

#2 Aflac Duck

The Aflac Duck is another mascot not unlike the GEICO Gecko. Both are animals that talk about insurance. The Aflac Duck is know for his insistence on trying to tell people that the name of an insurance they want or are thinking of is 'AFLAC!' yelling it at least a few times a commercial. He is know by most people and has brought good brand awareness and equity to Aflac throughout the years. Recently he has been getting a personality of his own as an actor in his commercials, along the same lines as the Gecko. In fact his twitter is as if he himself is tweeting about things. Due to the Duck always trying to watch out for you he has gained trust among people. Not to mention his commercials always have a bit of good humor.

 Image found on Google Images        

#1 GEICO Gecko

The GEICO Gecko is a brand mascot many people know. He first appeared in 2000 for GEICO and has been an enduring figure for the company since. He is always interested in one thing and that is saving money on a person's car insurance. He fills in the audience on different features of GEICO in numerous commercials. The Gecko is also very personified. Even though he is a Gecko he has a personality. There are a set of commercials where it is behind the scenes of the commercials and you get to see a very human side of the Gecko all the while almost seamlessly getting filled in on what GEICO can do for the audience. People have come to like and trust the Gecko, and he lends brand equity to the company.

Image found on Google Images

BATTLE OF THE BRAND MASCOTS: ROUND 2: MODERN MASCOTS

It's time for Round Two of Battle of the Brand Mascots! For round two, great modern mascots will face off for winner of the Battle of the Brand Mascots.

Our Contenders:

Flo of Progressive

vs.

Mayhem of Allstate

 VS.

Flo found on Google Images                                                                                                                                 Mayhem found on Google Images

Stats:

Flo

Who is She: Flo is the ever high spirited and energetic

brand mascot and face of Progressive. She is always seen

in her white progressive apron helping people save by

using Progressive.

Special Abilities: Great people skills, upbeat personality, trustworthy.

Weaknesses: Perhaps too upbeat

Product: Progressive Insurance

Creator: John Park and Steve Reepmeyer of ad agency Arnold Worldwide

Commercials: In her commercials Flo is always helping people save by using progressive. She gives them the insurance they need and helps give the people the power to chose which insurance they should get. The commercials are normally laced with light comedy, and happy endings for people looking for insurance. 

   

Image found on Google Images

Mayhem                                                    

Who is He: Mayhem is one of the spokesman

for Allstate. He is a rugged personality that    

portrays Mayhem, any mayhem you may       

face on the road. Always dressed in his          

formal attire and a bandage on a cut on his     

eye he is ready at all times to spread some      

mayhem.                                                    

Special Abilities: Causes mayhem for driver's,

   ability to become a drivers worst nightmare,   

always ready for a black tie event.                  

Weaknesses: Allstate Insurance                      

Product: Allstate Insurance                           

Creator: Ad Agency Leo Burnett                

Commercials: The Mayhem Commercials are

humorous commercials that focus around       

Mayhem causing problems for drivers. They  

take the form of many different scenarios       

such as a deer in the road or a teenage girl      

who just got broken up with and is texting      

while in a parking lot. Each commercial's       

focus is on one key aspect, if you get Allstate 

you will not have to worry about dealing with

Mayhem.                                                    

Images above found on Google Images

What Makes Them Good Brand Mascots:

I find these Brand Mascots to be amazing brand mascots for a few reasons. They both accomplish giving a face to their brand, but not just that they give a tangible being to an intangible product. Both are insurance companies mascots which is an intangible product, you can't necessarily hold on to see

insurance, yet you see Mayhem and Flo and think insurance. They increase brand awareness. Most people know who they are and which company they are associated.

Flo personifies not only Progressive insurance, but gives a face to a product you get online. You do not deal with people face to face when you get Progressive, it is internet based yet you see Flo as a sales rep for them and trust her through her personality, positivity, and honesty. 

Flo's quirky personality has won the hearts and trust of many consumers and in turn has been a great mascot for Progressive. The comedy that the creative team comes up with is attention getting, yet does not pull your attention from the fact that it is a Progressive commercial. Not only that but Flo's great facial expressions always earn a chuckle.

Mayhem also personifies something else beside just insurance and that is issues that you may face on the road or which may affect your car. The scenario's written for the commercials are funny and

entertaining. The scenarios are also a little frightening at times if you think about them with out the humor added. Which I believe is a goal of the commercials; to frighten the audience into getting Allstate rather than not being covered if a freak accident happens. 

The character of Mayhem is well portrayed and developed well to fit, well, mayhem. The dry delivery and sly smile of Mayhem add even more humor to the scenarios. Again, like Flo, Mayhem does not distract from Allstate but rather ingrains the name Allstate in your mind especially when coupled with that distinct voice at the end of each commercial.

My Decision: Mayhem

After looking at each Brand Mascot I would have to say Mayhem, would be my choice. Both are designed well and work the way they were intended for their brands. Coupled with their ad stories, however, I think Mayhem wins by a nose.

Image and previous images above found on Google Images

Thoughts? I would like to hear them.