20 Advertising Mascots from the ’80s and ’90s You Forgot
These forgotten advertising mascots from the ’80s and ’90s once ruled TV screens, but now they’re collecting dust in the nostalgia vault.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 8 min read
Before social media influencers took over, brands had mascots that stuck in our heads and sold everything from fast food to cereal. Some were cool, some were creepy, and some made absolutely no sense, but they all had one job—make you remember them. Whether it was a claymation raisin or a wall-smashing pitcher of Kool-Aid, these mascots left their mark, even if today’s kids have no idea they ever existed.
1. Mac Tonight (McDonald’s)
Dirk Tussing on Wikimedia Commons
McDonald’s once had a mascot that looked like the love child of a grand piano and a jazz musician. Mac Tonight was a crescent moon with sunglasses that played smooth tunes to promote late-night McDonald’s runs. His ads were weirdly hypnotic, and he made eating a Big Mac at midnight seem like the coolest thing ever. Unfortunately, he faded away after being unofficially adopted by some not-so-great internet groups.
2. The Noid (Domino’s Pizza)
Dailymemers on Wikimedia Commons
The Noid was a tiny, red-suited villain whose sole purpose was to ruin your pizza before it got delivered. Domino’s ran entire ad campaigns about “Avoid the Noid,” making it seem like getting a hot pizza on time was a high-stakes battle. It even had its own video game, but for some reason, Domino’s eventually dropped it. Noid made a short-lived comeback, but let’s be honest—it’s way more iconic than any pizza tracker app.
3. Spuds MacKenzie (Bud Light)
Mike Mozart on Wikimedia Commons
This party-loving bull terrier was the original beer influencer. Spuds MacKenzie didn’t speak, but he didn’t need to—cool people, pool parties, and endless Bud Light always surrounded him. Despite being a beer mascot, he became wildly popular with kids, which led to some controversy. Bud Light retired him, but if you were around in the late ’80s, you definitely wanted to hang out with this dog.
4. Fido Dido (7UP)
Alf van Beem on Wikimedia Commons
When 7UP went through a phase where they wanted to be the definition of cool, Fido Dido was their guy. This stick-figure-looking dude with messy hair and an effortlessly chill vibe was everywhere in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He had T-shirts, notebooks, and his own comic strips—yet somehow, most people barely remember him. Eventually, 7UP replaced him with Cool Spot, proving that even mascots aren’t safe from corporate shakeups.
5. Cool Spot (7UP)
Carlosmarkos2345 on Wikimedia Commons
Fido Dido wasn’t enough, so 7UP gave us Cool Spot—a literal red dot with sunglasses and attitude. It starred in its own video game, where it had to rescue other trapped red dots by surfing on soda bottles and dodging crabs. Cool Spot made 7UP feel edgy, which is impressive for a caffeine-free soda. Eventually, the brand moved on, leaving Cool Spot floating somewhere in forgotten mascot limbo.
6. Chester Cheetah (Cheetos)
Mike Mozart on Wikimedia Commons
Before he became today’s internet meme lord, Chester Cheetah was a smooth, slightly unhinged snack pusher. He had the energy of a cartoon con artist, always scheming to get his hands on some dangerously cheesy Cheetos. His early ads were a mix between a heist movie and a Saturday morning cartoon. He’s still around, but his original “too cool for school” vibe has changed a lot.
7. California Raisins (Sun-Maid Raisins)
Sun-Maid on Wikimedia Commons
In a move that still makes no sense, Sun-Maid tried to make raisins exciting by turning them into a Motown-singing claymation group. The California Raisins sang “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and even got their own Christmas special. People weirdly loved them, and they had toys, merch, and even breakfast cereal. Eventually, the hype dried up—just like their product.
8. The Trix Rabbit (Trix Cereal)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
No mascot suffered more than this poor rabbit. Every commercial, he came up with some elaborate plan to get his hands on a bowl of Trix, only for kids to snatch it away at the last second. The entire campaign was built around bullying a bunny, which somehow made kids want the cereal more. He’s still around, but let’s be real—just let him have some Trix already.
9. Quisp (Quisp Cereal)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
Quisp was a little alien with a propeller on his head who was obsessed with selling sugary cereal. His commercials were fast-talking and chaotic, much like the sugar rush you got from eating Quisp. He had a long rivalry with another mascot, Quake, but Quisp ended up winning. The cereal pops up every now and then, but the mascot is mostly lost in space.
10. Grimace (McDonald’s)
玄史生 on Wikimedia Commons
McDonald’s had a full cast of characters back in the day, and Grimace was their giant, purple mystery blob. Originally, he was a villain who stole milkshakes, but at some point, he turned into Ronald McDonald’s lovable best friend. His personality? Just being happy and vaguely useless. He recently made a comeback, proving that people never stopped wondering, “What even is Grimace?”
11. Count Chocula (General Mills)
CoolKid1993 on Wikimedia Commons
Every Halloween, he and his spooky cereal buddies made breakfast feel like a monster movie. Count Chocula ruled the lineup with his chocolatey charm, but he was always in competition with Franken Berry and Boo Berry. The cereals still appear once a year, but these mascots used to be full-time players in the cereal aisle. Now, they’re seasonal celebrities at best.
12. Honey Nut Cheerios Bee (Cheerios)
Billy McCrorie on Wikimedia Commons
Buzz the Bee was always there, buzzing around to remind you that Honey Nut Cheerios were somehow healthier than they looked. He had a friendly, eager-to-please vibe, but nobody ever questioned why a bee was obsessed with cereal. Over the years, he’s had a bunch of redesigns, but he’s not as iconic as he once was. Maybe it’s because kids today don’t watch as many cereal commercials.
13. Sugar Bear (Golden Crisp)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
Sugar Bear was so chill he made eating Golden Crisp look like the most relaxing experience on earth. His tagline, “Can’t get enough of that Golden Crisp,” was practically hypnotic. Unlike other cereal mascots who had to fight for their food, Sugar Bear just walked in, grabbed some, and left. Sadly, Golden Crisp isn’t as popular anymore, and Sugar Bear has faded into obscurity.
14. The Keebler Elves (Keebler Cookies)
Dwight Burdette on Wikimedia Commons
These tiny elves baked cookies inside a hollow tree, and somehow, nobody questioned it. Led by Ernie Keebler, they worked 24/7, cranking out fudge-striped treats with the kind of dedication most people reserve for actual careers. Their commercials made you believe every cookie was handmade by a magical, unpaid workforce. They still exist, but their TV presence has shrunk faster than a batch of fresh-baked shortbread.
15. The Hamburger Helper Hand (Hamburger Helper)
TheWatchdog on Wikimedia Commons
A four-fingered, talking glove was somehow the face of dinner for an entire generation. This little guy appeared in commercials, waving his tiny hand like a kitchen superhero, promising quick and easy meals. His voice was friendly, his attitude was helpful, and his presence meant you were about to eat beef mixed with something vaguely cheesy. He’s technically still around, but way less iconic than in the ‘90s.
16. The Kool-Aid Man (Kool-Aid)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
This giant, living pitcher of fruit punch had one trick—smashing through walls while yelling, “Oh yeah!” He had zero concern for property damage but made kids think drinking Kool-Aid was the most exciting thing in the world. The commercials were so over-the-top they almost made you forget that Kool-Aid was basically just sugar water. He’s still used in ads today, but nowhere near as wild as he used to be.
17. Morris the Cat (9Lives Cat Food)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
Morris was a smug, orange tabby who acted like he was too good for anything but 9Lives cat food. He had the energy of a judgmental restaurant critic, side-eyeing anyone who dared offer him a lesser meal. His commercials gave the impression that if he had thumbs, he’d write a Yelp review about you. He was one of the first mascots to have a full-blown personality, but now he’s mostly a forgotten diva.
18. Baby Bob (Quiznos)
Xnatedawgx on Wikimedia Commons
Quiznos went through a phase where their ad campaigns were completely unhinged, and Baby Bob was proof. He was a creepy, computer-animated talking baby with the voice of a grown man, and his whole gimmick was just being a talking baby. People either loved him or had nightmares about him. Quiznos eventually moved on, probably realizing that sandwiches and unsettling babies don’t mix.
19. Mikey (Life Cereal)
Fma12 on Wikimedia Commons
Mikey wasn’t a mascot in the traditional sense—he was just a picky little kid who somehow became the face of Life cereal. The famous ad showed his siblings daring him to try it, assuming he’d hate it, only for them to yell, “He likes it! Hey Mikey!” The ad ran for so long that people started believing Mikey actually died from eating Pop Rocks and soda (he didn’t). Life tried bringing him back, but the magic was gone.
20. Be Like Mike (Gatorade)
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jordan was basically a one-man mascot for Gatorade in the ‘90s. The “Be Like Mike” ad campaign convinced an entire generation that drinking fruit-flavored electrolytes would somehow give them Jordan’s basketball skills. The jingle was so catchy that it stuck in people’s heads for decades. Gatorade still exists, but no ad has ever matched the power of Be Like Mike.