13 Brand Mascots That Quietly Disappeared
Here's a revealing look at 13 once-iconic brand mascots that vanished from our screens and packaging over time.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
From beloved cereal spokes-tigers to quirky fast-food characters, many brand mascots that once defined household names have disappeared without much fanfare. This listicle uncovers 13 such mascots — exploring who they were, why they faded away, and the cultural or corporate shifts that sent them into obscurity.
1. Charlie the Tuna (StarKist)
Eric Guinther on Wikimedia Commons
StarKist’s bespectacled tuna from the 1960s appeared as the quirky voice, saying he had “good taste.” After peaking in the ’70s–’80s, his screen time dwindled until he vanished, only briefly returning in the 2000s. Today, he’s a nostalgic throwback among marketing fans.
2. The Hamm’s Beer Bear
suzukii xingfu on Pexels.
This tambourine-playing bear boosted Hamm’s in the 1950s with catchy jingles. However, stricter alcohol ad rules in the ’70s made him disappear. He remains a symbol of retro beer branding.
3. Original Burger King King
Yaşar Başkurt on pexels
The gentle, cartoon Burger King of the ’60s was friendly and regal, unlike the modern, spookier version. He was phased out in the late ’70s in favor of product-focused ads. It was a royal relic from the fast food industry’s golden age.
4. Punchy (Hawaiian Punch)
Erik Mclean on pexels.
Debuted in 1962, Punchy amused audiences by playfully punching his friend and exclaiming his catchphrase. As attitudes toward cartoon violence shifted, he was quietly retired in the ’90s. Now, he’s a weird but beloved aged artifact.
5. Dino the Sinclair Dinosaur
Liliana Drew on pexels.
This charming Brontosaurus symbolized Sinclair Oil’s fossil-fuel roots from the 1930s to the 1970s. After an acquisition, Dino slowly faded from ads. He remains a nostalgic icon for retro oil-industry memorabilia.
6. Bert the Turtle
River Nelson-Esch on pexels
Introduced in the Cold War era to promote “Duck and Cover” safety among children, Bert disappeared as civil defense messaging changed. Now, he’s remembered as a poignant piece of historical propaganda. It’s a turtle with an unexpected legacy.
7. The Taco Bell Chihuahua
Mel Audelo on Pexels.
Gidget’s tiny bark “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!” made her a ’90s pop culture star. However, controversy surrounding stereotyping led to her ad’s retirement by 2000. Still, she remains an unforgettable cultural flashback.
8. The Noid (Domino’s)
Will Vinton Studios on pexels.
The quirky claymation Noid, created to “destroy” Domino’s pizzas, became iconic in the mid-’80s. After a tragic hostage incident involving a man with the same name, he was pulled. He resurfaced briefly in later years yet remains mostly shelved.
9. Burger King Kids Club
Bulat Khamitov on pexels.
A cadre of animated characters — Kid Vid, Boomer, Wheels, and more — spoke directly to kids in the ’90s. However, McDonald’s dominance led to the club’s discontinuation in the early 2000s. Their brief reign still sparks nostalgia.
10. Oven Mitt (Arby’s)
Valeria Boltneva on pexels.
Arby’s introduced this living glove in 2003 for playful roast-beef themed ads. An $85 million push fizzled out after just a few years, resulting in a promotional flop. Oven Mitt remains a quirky footnote.
11. Spuds MacKenzie (Bud Light)
morgana pozzi on pexels.
The ’80s party animal dog overshadowed the beer itself by becoming a teen idol. Bud Light retired him after political pressure claimed it targeted minors. Today, Spuds is a cult icon for iconoclast marketers.
12. Tropic-Ana (Tropicana)
Ron Lach on pexels.
This girl in a grass skirt, capped with oranges, served as a mascot from the 1950s to the 1980s. She slowly faded away due to a brand refresh — not criticism. It was a sweet product of mid-century branding.
13. The California Raisins
Humbledaisy on pexels.
Claymation raisins belting “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” were a late ’80s marketing sensation. However, rising production costs led to their shutdown in 1994. They’re now a multimedia nostalgia phenomenon.