Pon de Lion is the most popular mascot of the Mister Donut fast food franchise, which is owned by the same parent company as Dunkin’ Donuts. This character, a lion with a mane shaped like a “pon de ring” doughnut, is one of a set of doughnut-based mascots (marketed as “Pon de Lion & His Sweet Friends”). In Japan, Pon de Lion has become more recognizable than the actual Misdo logo (a moustachioed chef).
“Colonel” Sanders was an iconic American entrepreneur who first served his fried chicken at a gas station in 1930. In 1952, he founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken company, now re-branded as KFC. Despite his death in 1980, Sanders remains a key symbol of the company in its advertising and branding. My dad always referred to him as “Colonel Chicken.”
The Big Boy restaurant chain (including Bob’s Big Boy) started in 1936 and is best known for its trademark chubby boy in checkered overalls. The inspiration for Big Boy’s name, as well as the model for its mascot, was six-year-old Richard Woodruff. After Warner Bros. animation artist Ben Washam sketched the boy’s caricature, he became part of the company identity.
Happy Star is the mascot of American fast-food restaurant chain Carl’s Jr. and its sibling chain Hardee’s. When combined with Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr. is the #4 US fast-food chain in size after McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. The twin star logos are unstoppable!
Jack is the mascot of American restaurant chain Jack in the Box. In advertisements, he is portrayed as the founder, CEO and ad spokesman for the chain. The character made his first appearance in 1993.
Wendy is the daughter and fourth child of American businessman Dave Thomas, the founder of the Wendy’s restaurant franchise. She is known for being its namesake and mascot. Her likeness has been used as the Wendy’s logo, in the form of a young girl with red braids, since the company’s founding in 1969.
The King is the advertising mascot for the Burger King fast-food restaurant franchise. The first cartoon iteration of this character was created in 1955. The current extra-creepy/brilliant “Wake Up with the King” costumed mascot was introduced in 2003.
A clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant chain. He first appeared in 1963. The next two weeks at Mascot Mashup will be dedicated to creating 8-bit versions of some popular food advertising icons and corporate trade characters.
