Know it all

Established in 1924, Marlboro brand cigarettes were originally marketed toward women. Their slogan was “Fresh as the month of May.” In 1955, the company changed the brand to a masculine product and introduced the Marlboro Man, a rugged cowboy.

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Ronald McDonald first appeared in 1965 in a Washington, D.C., McDonald’s restaurant. Willard Scott, from “The Today Show,” was the first Ronald McDonald. Scott also clowned around early in his career when he was Bozo the Clown on television.

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The Minnesota Valley Canning Company created the Green Giant (originally he was not Jolly) to advertise their canned peas. The success of their mascot resulted in a company name change to the Green Giant Company. There is a 55-foot tall statue of the Jolly Green Giant on I-90 in the small town of Blue Earth, Minnesota.

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The Jolly Green Giant’s little helper is named Little Green Sprout.

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Betty Crocker was created in 1921 as a fictional female spokesperson to answer questions about baking that resulted from the promotion of Gold Medal Flour. Betty’s last name comes from the company’s former director, William Crocker, and the first name Betty was chosen for its all -American and friendly sound.

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The man on the Quaker Oats box is not an actual person. He was created in 1877 and is dressed in Quaker garb. He represents the values of the Quaker people and the values of the company: Honesty, integrity, purity and strength. The portrait of the Quaker man has only been updated three times since its creation. His look changed slightly in 1946, 1957 and again in 1972.

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Cartoon characters are commonly used to advertise cereal. Do you know the cereals that are represented by a toucan, a rabbit, a leprechaun and a frog? Can you name each character? See answer at end.

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In 1952, Kellogg’s had a contest to see what character should represent their new Frosted Flakes cereal. Tony the Tiger beat out Katy the Kangaroo, Newt the Gnu and Elmo the Elephant.

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Tony the Tiger is 6 feet 6 inches tall.

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Snap first appeared on Kellogg’s Rice Krispies boxes in 1932. He was joined by Crackle and Pop in 1936. The characters are so named because Rice Krispies “snap, crackle and pop” in milk.

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Morris the cat used to be named Lucky. He was adopted from an Illinois Humane Society by an employee of the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency. Morris gained worldwide fame starring as the spoiled, pampered pet in commercials for 9 Lives Cat Food Company. The original Morris was in the commercials from 1969 until his death in 1975.

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Answer: Toucan Sam “follows his nose” to find Froot Loops cereal. Trix the Rabbit always tries to steal the Trix Cereal. He has to be reminded that “Trix are for kids.” Lucky the Leprechaun loves “magically delicious” Lucky Charms cereal. Dig’Em, a frog in a baseball cap, was introduced in 1972 on Sugar Smacks cereal boxes and in ads.

Know It All is by Kerry McArdle. It runs in the weekend and Wednesday editions of the Daily Journal. Questions? Comments? Email knowitall(at)smdailyjournal.com or call 344-5200 ext. 114.