When you hear the phrase, brand mascot, who do you think of? For me it's Frosties' Tony the Tiger. Probably because I always wanted Frosties as a child and wasn't allowed them often. Or maybe because the slogan was so grrrreat (three 'r's, I checked).
A few years ago, we asked whether brand mascots were still relevant. New research from Falcon Digital Marketing suggest they are. It has identified which brand mascots are most popular online, and the results are... surprising.
Top of the results are Snap, Crackle and Pop, from Rice Krispies, which seems wild. The Rice Krispies website (who knew such a thing existed) says that the mascots had their last campaign in 2021, but for most of us at least, these mascots haven't done anything since the '90s (sorry Snap, Crackle and Pop).
"Breakfast mascots like these have real staying power because they're associated with daily rituals,” says Monica Cabaniss, co-owner of Falcon Digital Marketing. “The trio's simple catchphrase and distinctive personalities give Rice Krispies a playful identity that appeals to multiple generations."
The next choice up really puts things into perspective. Second to Snap, Crackle and Pop is the world's most famous mouse, Mickey.
"Disney has masterfully kept this character relevant across nearly 100 years by allowing him to change with the times while maintaining his core values," says Monica. "Mickey Mouse is the foundation of one of the world's largest entertainment empires."
This is where we need to dig into the methodology here as this seems ludicrous. Some cereal characters are more famous than Mickey Mouse, who is associated with a giant brand and theme park?
In order to reach this conclusion the researchers analysed global search data for 35 well-known brand characters, looking at search volume figures from Google Ads from April 2024 or March 2025. They then equated higher search volumes with more interest.
This is where I think they've gone wrong. I don't think people are Googling Snap, Crackle and Pop because they love the characters and want to see what they're up to, people are probably searching for them to ask 'do these characters still exist'?
As for Mickey, there's no need to search for him seeing as he is in fact everywhere.
Anyway, methodology aside, let's look at who else is 'popular'. Next up was Sonic the Hedgehog, who has been at the centre of many Sonic controversies since he started appearing in film. Then there's another wildcard, Freddy from Mailchimp. Though I do love the Mailchimp branding.
Then there's Colonel Sanders from KFC in at number five, followed by Firefox's Foxy (I honestly doubt most people could name Foxy).
Only when we get to number seven do we see the famous Ronald McDonald (though is he being phased out? I haven't seen him for a while).
The last three on the list are the Monopoly Man from Monopoly, Mr Peanut from Planters and then last up there's my beloved Tony the Tiger from Kellogg's.
"The right mascot is marketing gold," says Monica. "When people connect with a character, they're not just remembering a logo – they're forming an emotional bond that can last for generations. That's why companies invest millions in creating and maintaining these fictional brand ambassadors."
I do think this is still true, I just find it hard to believe that Snap, Crackle and Pop are more popular than Mickey Mouse. But hey, maybe that's just me and I am massively missing something when it comes to the three little guys. Also, I was never really into Rice Krispies.
For more on characters, see our character design tips.
