Who Was The First Ever Cereal Mascot?

Food mascots are something that have been around for seemingly forever. In fact, some of the most iconic of these may predate our great-grandparents; Mr. Peanut, for instance, was 104 years old at the time Planters had him killed off in a tragic 2020 accident (and then reborn as the unpopular Baby Nut). Likewise, many cereal mascots are a lot older than you realize. For example, Snap, Crackle, and Pop are Kellogg's most senior mascots, dating back to 1933. However, these nonagenarians are mere youngsters when compared to the venerable Quaker Oats Man.

The man in the broad-brimmed wide-awake hat actually holds the distinction of being the first-ever breakfast cereal trademark, registered by the U.S. Patent Office in 1877. Although, the manufacturers didn't obtain full rights to the Quaker brand name until purchasing the Quaker Mill in Ravenna, Ohio, some four years later. The following year, an ad for Quaker Oats, complete with an earnest-looking Quaker gentleman, would be the first cereal promotion to feature in a national magazine. By 1915, the mascot was adorning familiar-looking cylindrical oatmeal canisters.

The first Quaker Oats canisters featured the Quaker Oats Man from head to toe. By 1922, his knees and toes were no longer visible while head and shoulders remained part of the brand logo. Despite the alterations, his general appearance hasn't changed much. In fact, the 1922 Quaker Oats Man would be instantly recognizable to present-day cereal shoppers.

Various artists have had different takes on the Quaker Oats Man over the years. None of them appear to have changed the mascot too much — well, apart from a somewhat abstract blue-and-white '70s version. That one used solid white shapes to create half of his face as well as his hat and hair against a blue background. A 2012 makeover saw the Quaker Oats Man's face slim down a bit, while company spokespersons also revealed that he has a name. Believe it or not, they call him Larry, even though we at Mashed see him as more of an Ebenezer or a Jedediah.

Even then, Quaker wasn't done tweaking. In 2019, the company made his face even thinner. The biggest change was to his scarf, though. While once it was neatly tucked in, it now sits at a rakish angle. While it's nice to know Larry's capable of loosening up after all of these years, we're glad he's never come in for the 2020 Toucan Sam makeover, which that turned the colorful mascot into a very disturbing bird.