Pity poor Dinky, the bug-eyed Chihuahua, who saw his currency plummet along with burrito sales at Taco Bell and was given his walking papers by the chain last week.
Such is the lot of the animals that labor as icons in our culture, touting everything from beer to batteries. Their fortunes can be as mercurial as a Hollywood starlet’s, basking in adulation one day, relegated to worst-dressed status in the celebrity press the next. Here’s a look at the fate of some of the most famous:
NAME: Dinky
SPECIES: Chihuahua
SHILL FOR: Taco Bell
LENGTH OF SERVICE: July 1997 to July 2000
CAREER HIGH: 13 million Chihuahua plush toys sold
PERSONAL CRISIS: In 1998, Hispanic groups called ads offensive. In 2000, declining sales sent pooch to the pound.
KEY FACT: Made “Drop the chalupa” part of our lingo
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Yo quiero Taco Bell”
NAME: Charlie
SPECIES: Tuna fish
SHILL FOR: StarKist Tuna
LENGTH OF SERVICE: First ad debuted in 1961, but has had ups and downs; resurfaced big time in late 90s.
CAREER HIGH: Slimmed down in early 1980s
PERSONAL CRISIS: With incredible persistence, aquatic Emily Litella keeps trying to show StarKist he’s got good taste, when they want tuna that taste good.
KEY FACT: Has been known to recite Shakespeare
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Sorry, Charlie”
NAME: Energizer
SPECIES: Bunny
SHILL FOR: Eveready Batteries
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1989 to present
CAREER HIGH: One of Advertising Age’s Top 10 ad icons of the 20th Century
PERSONAL CRISIS: Legal hassles with other batteries; suing Coors beer over Leslie Nielsen-in-rabbit-outfit spoof
KEY FACT: Most prominent big-eared drummer since Charlie Watts
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Keeps on going and going . . . “
NAME: Spuds Mackenzie
SPECIES: Brown-and-white spotted bull terrier
SHILL FOR: Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light beer
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1984 until retired in 1989
CAREER HIGH: Being served pate and hanging out with babes
PERSONAL CRISIS: Ohio banned ads showing Spuds as Canine Claus at Christmas 1987.
KEY FACT: Prefers “party animal” to the term “dog”
MEMORABLE QUOTE: None — strong silent type
NAME: Chester
SPECIES: Cheetah
SHILL FOR: Frito-Lay Cheetos
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1986 to present
CAREER HIGH: Is the central figure in two video games
PERSONAL CRISIS: Decision to drop tagline “It’s not easy being cheesy.”
KEY FACT: Few cheetahs wear shades and sneakers with such elan.
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Dangerously cheesy”
NAME: Morris
SPECIES: Male orange tabby cat
SHILL FOR: 9-Lives cat food
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1968 to present, though death forced passing of torch
CAREER HIGH: Starred with Burt Reynolds and Dyan Cannon in 1973’s “Shamus,” wrote three books, ran for president in 1988 and 1992.
PERSONAL CRISIS: Found in a Hinsdale animal shelter, Morris I went to litterbox in the sky in 1979 at 19. Morris II from a New England shelter flogged food for 15 years till retiring. Morris III, from a suburban Chicago shelter, debuted in 1996 and turned things over this year to Morris IV, who hails from a California shelter.
KEY FACT: Was dubbed “The Feline Burt Reynolds” by Time in 1983
MEMORABLE QUOTE: Carries on interior monologue
NAME: Frank and Louie
SPECIES: Iguanas
SHILL FOR: Budweiser beer
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1997 to present
CAREER HIGH: Beating out frogs to become Bud-wiseacres at Super Bowl 1998
PERSONAL CRISIS: Constant swamp dramas and more frogs
KEY FACT: Ugly, but strong on reptile repartee
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “We coulda been huge.”
NAME: Tony
SPECIES: 6 foot, 6 inch orange-and-black tiger
SHILL FOR: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1952 to present
CAREER HIGH: Son Tony Jr. won Kellogg’s Frosted Rice account in the late ’70s.
PERSONAL CRISIS: Has undergone several facelifts
KEY FACT: Initially faced challenge from Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant and Newt the Gnu, but eventually beat ’em all to became sole spokesbeast in 1953.
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “They’re Grrrreat!”
NAME: Smokey
SPECIES: Bear
SHILL FOR: USDA Forest Service
LENGTH OF SERVICE: Aug. 2, 1944, to present
CAREER HIGH: Had own zip code
PERSONAL CRISIS: A burned bear cub that survived 1950 fire in the Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico, became living symbol of campaign and moved to D.C. Zoo.
KEY FACT: Commemorated at the Smokey the Bear Historical State Park, Capitan, N.M., where original Smokey was laid to rest in 1976
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Remember . . . only YOU can prevent forest fires.”
NAME: Elsie
SPECIES: Jersey cow
SHILL FOR: Borden’s dairy products
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1939 to present
CAREER HIGH: Featured live at the 1939 World’s Fair
PERSONAL CRISIS: After saddling her with four children (Beulah, Beauregard, twins Larabee and Lobelia), husband Elmer split to become a glue flogger in the 1940s.
KEY FACT: Had bit as “Buttercup” in “Little Men,” a 1940 film with Kay Francis and Jack Oakie
MEMORABLE QUOTE: “If it’s Borden’s, it’s got to be good.”
NAME: Nipper
SPECIES: Black-and-white dog
SHILL FOR: RCA
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 1929 (the year RCA bought Victor, which owned rights to the image) to present
CAREER HIGH: Laps up Evian, eats filet and travels via limos and in a first-class seat on airlines
PERSONAL CRISIS: In 1990, a dog destined for medical research was plucked from the laboratory to play Nipper.
KEY FACT: He’s based on Francis Barraud’s 1890 painting “His Master’s Voice,” starring a black-and-white fox terrier listening to a gramophone. Protege named Chipper, a Jack Russell Terrier, joined promo team in 1994.
MEMORABLE QUOTE: Speechless
Source: Tribune archives, corporate Web sites
