Beasties in the Business Trivia Quiz

Frosted Flakes cereal boasts one of the most iconic animal mascots in the world of advertising: Tony the Tiger. The company behind Frosted Flakes, Kellogg's, was founded in 1906 by Will Keith Kellogg in Battle Creek, Michigan. However, it wasn't until 1952 that Tony the Tiger made his debut. Tony was created by Leo Burnett, a famous advertising executive, who wanted to develop a strong and memorable mascot for the brand. Tony quickly became a hit with his enthusiastic catchphrase, "They're Grrreat!"

The Geico Gecko, a small green reptile with a charming British accent, serves as the iconic mascot for Geico insurance, one of the largest auto insurance providers in the United States. Geico, short for Government Employees Insurance Company, was founded in 1936 by Leo Goodwin Sr. and his wife Lillian Goodwin.

It would be over 60 years later, in 1999, that the Geico Gecko made his first appearance in an advertising campaign. The idea for the Gecko originated from an ad agency called The Martin Agency, which was tasked with finding a way to convey Geico's message in a memorable and engaging manner.

The gecko was chosen for his distinctive appearance and friendly demeanor, not to mention the association that came with the cute animal's name sounding similar to the insurance company's (rather boring) corporate name.

The mischievous Chester Cheetah serves as the iconic mascot for Cheetos snacks, a popular brand of cheesy snacks produced by Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Frito-Lay was founded in 1932 by Charles Elmer Doolin in San Antonio, Texas, but Cheetos didn't hit the shelves until 1948.

It was, finally, in 1986 that Chester Cheetah made his debut in advertising campaigns. Chester was created by the advertising agency BBDO, which wanted to give Cheetos a fun and memorable spokesperson. Chester is depicted as a cool and confident cheetah who is always on the lookout for his favorite snack.

His catchphrase, "It ain't easy bein' cheesy," became instantly recognizable and helped solidify Cheetos' place in popular culture.

The iconic crocodile logo of Lacoste, a renowned French clothing company, has become synonymous with the brand's classic and stylish apparel. Founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste and André Gillier, Lacoste revolutionized the sportswear industry with its comfortable and chic designs.

The origin of the crocodile logo dates back to René Lacoste's nickname on the tennis court, "The Crocodile." This nickname was given to him by fans and journalists due to his tenacious playing style. In 1926, René made a bet with the captain of the French Davis Cup team, promising him a crocodile suitcase if he won a particular match.

Although he didn't win the match, the image stuck, and he began embroidering a crocodile logo on his tennis blazers.

Froot Loops cereal, known for its vibrant colors and fruity flavors, features Toucan Sam as its iconic mascot. The cereal is produced by Kellogg's, a company founded in 1906, but Froot Loops didn't make their debut until 1963. Toucan Sam first appeared in advertising campaigns that same year, created by an advertising agency called Leo Burnett.

Inspired by the popularity of real-life toucans and the colorful nature of Froot Loops cereal, Toucan Sam was designed to represent the fun and adventurous spirit of the brand. Toucan Sam is characterized by his brightly colored beak and enthusiastic personality, always on the hunt for the delicious fruity flavors of Froot Loops and uttering his catchphrase, "Follow your nose! It always knows!"

Energizer batteries is most-recognized in the U.S. for its pink bunny mascot, also known as the Energizer Bunny. The company was founded in 1896 as the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company, later becoming Energizer Holdings in 2000. The Energizer Bunny originated in 1989 as part of an advertising campaign created by the DDB Needham advertising agency. The bunny was chosen to symbolize the long-lasting energy of Energizer batteries, famously depicted as outlasting its competitors in a series of entertaining commercials.

Interestingly, Duracell, a rival battery company, also used a pink bunny mascot in its advertising, though Energizer used a drumming bunny. This led to a legal battle between the two companies over trademark rights to their respective bunny mascots. Ultimately, Energizer won the rights to the bunny character in the United States, while Duracell maintained the rights in other parts of the world.

Fruit Stripes gum, famous for its colorful packaging and fruity flavors, featured a zany zebra as its iconic mascot. The gum was produced by the Ferrara Candy Company, which was founded in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois. Fruit Stripes gum hit the market in the 1960s, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the zebra mascot made its debut.

The zebra mascot, affectionately known as Yipes, was introduced as part of a marketing campaign to promote the fun and flavorful nature of Fruit Stripes gum. Yipes is depicted as a playful and energetic zebra with colorful stripes that match the gum's vibrant packaging.

This gum brand was discontinued in 2024.

Charmin toilet paper is famous for its playful mascot, the Charmin bear family. The company, originally known as the Charmin Paper Company, was founded in 1928 by the Hoberg Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was in the 1950s that the Charmin bear family made its debut.

The idea for the bear mascots originated from a desire to convey the softness and comfort of Charmin toilet paper. The bear family, including Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear, was introduced in advertising campaigns to emphasize the gentle and cuddly qualities of the product. With their endearing personalities and adorable antics, the Charmin bears quickly became beloved symbols of the brand.

Chuck E. Cheese, a popular family entertainment center known for its arcade games and pizza, features a lovable mouse as its iconic mascot. The company was founded in 1977 by Nolan Bushnell, the co-founder of Atari, and was originally named Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre.

The idea for the mascot originated from the desire to create a fun and memorable character to entertain children and families at the restaurant. Chuck E. Cheese, often depicted as a friendly anthropomorphic mouse in a red and yellow outfit, quickly became the face of the establishment, appearing in commercials, advertisements, and even live performances at the restaurants.

Target, a popular retail chain, features Bullseye the dog as its iconic mascot. The company was founded in 1902 as the Dayton Dry Goods Company by George Dayton in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The idea for the Bullseye dog mascot originated from a marketing campaign launched in 1999 to promote the company's focus on affordable yet stylish products.

The Bullseye dog, often depicted as a white bull terrier with a red target around one eye, was chosen to symbolize the company's commitment to hitting the mark with its offerings.

Duolingo, a popular language-learning platform, features a colorful and friendly owl named Duo as its mascot. The company was founded in 2011 by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker. However, it wasn't until the early stages of development that the idea for Duo the Owl emerged. Duo was created to serve as a friendly guide and motivator for users as they navigate their language-learning journey.

The owl was chosen for its association with wisdom and intelligence, qualities that align with the goals of learning a new language.

StarKist, a leading brand in the canned tuna industry, features a friendly and charismatic mascot known as Charlie the Tuna. The company was founded in 1917 as the French Sardine Company of California, later becoming StarKist Foods, Inc. in 1953. Charlie the Tuna made his debut in the 1960s.

The idea for the mascot originated from a desire to create a memorable symbol for the brand that would resonate with consumers. Charlie the Tuna was conceived as a sophisticated and slightly eccentric character who aspired to be "the one that tastes good" enough to be caught by StarKist. With his distinctive round glasses and penchant for delivering the catchphrase "Sorry, Charlie," Charlie the Tuna quickly became a beloved figure in advertising.