Who does not love Pringles? We all do.
It is America’s favorite brand of potato chips that is popular around the world. Currently, it is being sold in more than 140 countries. Therefore “the Pringles guy”, or its mascot to be specific is recognized all over the world.
However, in one of his recent television programs (Last Week Tonight), the comedian John Oliver cracked a joke about the Pringles guy being nobody. He referred to it as “a floating head that wants you to eat potato chips” and chuckled about what this guy is hiding.
The joke went viral and even to the host’s surprise, the public started sharing their perceived versions of the mascot’s complete body sketches. To give further hype to the situation, Oliver shared the drawings turned in by his viewers in a YouTube video claiming that he himself had no idea that his joke would get so popular with the masses. He announced donating $10,000 to a hunger relief organization if the brand responded to this fad.
The brand also took full advantage of the free publicity it received and shared a video revealing the Pringles guy`s full body. This not only helped them in strengthening their relationship with loyal customers who were delighted to see the brand responding to their humorous concern, but also helped create a reputable image in terms of corporate social responsibility, as people appreciated them responding after John Oliver`s conditional donation announcement.
Below is the video released by Pringles in response to the on-going craze:
The video starts with a screen reading “Mr. P reveal” to maintain the suspense and is then immediately welcomed by a full-body mascot who has the same face as the Pringles guy. Mr. P then welcomes viewers inside his house (where he is standing when the video starts). Once inside the home, his full body is visible. He’s shown wearing a coordinated red colored suit with a white t-shirt with a Pringles logo printed on it. To complement the overall look, he also wears matching shoes and white gloves.
His red outfit stands out. A decorated Christmas tree is also visible next to the white wall which not only adds some color and aesthetics, but also portrays the festive season. The video was launched in early December 2020.
Now we must say it was a job well done by the Pringles brand!
Evolution of the Pringles Guy
Do you know the Pringles mascot actually has a name since 1967 when he first appeared on the can of these branded chips?
It is Julius Pringles.
It is amusing that just like a real person, the appearance of this mascot has also changed over the years.
For instance, in his very first public appearance, Julius wore a bowtie which read Pringles and had dark hair and rosy cheeks – just like a young person.
The image was updated 20 years later with the addition of a mouth and thin eyebrows.
In 1996, the pink spots denoting cheeks as well as the mouth were eliminated from the mascot’s face.
Since 2002, he has had lesser hair (may be the signs of aging) while in the recent video released in 2020, he is shown completely bald, with thin eyebrows.
Whether this is a stunt to keep the Pringles lovers engaged or is denoting a certain meaning, that is for the Pringles fans to figure out.
Who was the real Pringles Guy?
Have you ever wondered at the unique packaging of Pringles that differentiates it from the rest of potato crisp brands?
The unique concept of a can was the brainchild of Fredric John Baur. He was an employee of Proctor and Gamble (the company that initially owned the Pringles brand) and specialized in food storage methods. He realized that because the shape of these chips was rather unusual, a cylindrical container would be better for storing and packaging the product. He attained a patent for his packaging design in 1971.
He considered it to be one of his most remarkable creations, to the extent that he left a will that a part of his ashes be buried in it.
Yes, you read it right!
HE WANTED SOME OF HIS CREMATED ASHES TO BE BURIED IN A PRINGLES CAN!
His wish was fulfilled by his children who understood how close their father’s creation was to his heart. His son later exclaimed that they bought the classic original flavored Pringles can on the way to their father’s funeral.
Baur died on May 4, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 89, and to honor him, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that he was in fact the real Pringles guy – the man who left a packaging that is now a distinguished feature of the Pringles brand.
Now that you know all about both the Pringles guy, the mascot and the designer, you are bound to feel a greater connectivity to the brand the next time you munch on these flavored chips.