#retro characters

Have you ever sat eating a bowl of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and wondered why there was a tiger promoting the cereal?

In 1952, there was a contest to decide who would grace the front of the box of Sugar Frosted Flakes. A competition was held between Tony the Tiger, Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant, and Newt the Gnu (A wildebeest!). The competition was to see who would be most popular with the American public. Tony the Tiger won, and has been the mascot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes ever since.

Martin Provensen, an illustrator of children’s books, created the design for Tony. Originally, the tiger started out with a football-shaped head and he walked on all fours. This was replaced by a Tony figure that walked upright and could sing songs and dance. At this time, the cereal was called Sugar Frosted Flakes, which changed to Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes when sugar started to get a reputation for being unhealthy and leading to obesity.

As the nation became more health conscious, Tony’s physique became stronger and leaner, and he grew in stature from a small cereal box-sized cat to a 6-foot tall figure showing kids how to better themselves through sports.

[caption id="attachment_5798" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Early Kellogg's Frosted Flakes "Tony the Tiger" advertisement."][/caption]

Tony even went through a period where he had a family. His son, Tony Jr., is the best-known family member, but at one time there was a mother, wife, and daughter (Antoinette). These characters fell by the wayside as Tony became the face associated with Frosted Flakes and the Kellogg’s company itself.

Although Tony has been redrawn many times, some things have remained the same. Always present is the red kerchief he wears around his neck and his famous line “They’re Grrrrrrrreat!”

Tony’s signature voice comes from Thurl Ravenscroft, an actor and voice artist also known for his songs in the movie “The Grinch.”

Tony the Tiger is an American advertising icon. He has lasted for 55+ years as the mascot for Frosted Flakes, and shows no signs of slowing down. Nowadays, he is featured in Frosted Flakes commercials as the driving force behind kids achieving their dreams by being active and playing sports.

What are your early memories of Tony the Tiger? Was it on a box of Frosted Flakes? On television? Chime in...

[caption id="attachment_5695" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Mary Jane Peanut Butter Molasses Retro Candy Vinyl Figure"][/caption]

Remember going to the corner store and picking out penny candy to enjoy on the way home? Mary Janes, the bite sized peanut butter and molasses morsels, were always a favorite at candy counters.

The story of Mary Jane began with a small candy company started in 1884 by Charles N. Miller and his three sons. The homemade candy was manufactured and sold from a very famous building - the Paul Revere House in Boston’s North End. After the death of their father, the three sons split the responsibilities of the business, and the candy manufacturing company became known as the Charles N. Miller Company.

The most successful candies, invented in 1914, were bite sized morsels made of peanut butter and molasses and called Mary Janes, named after a favorite aunt. Several variations of these tasty morsels were tested, but none were as successful as the original recipe.

Although The Stark Candy Company bought the Miller Company, they continued the tradition of Mary Jane candy. In 1990 Necco bought the Stark Company, and to this day manufactures Mary Janes using the original recipe.

The Mary Jane girl  still adorns each and every wrapper on the delicious candies.

And for those looking for "healthier" candy - Mary Janes are dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free.