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Kool-Aid Man

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For the gag character on Family Guy based on this character, see Kool-Aid Man (Family Guy).
Kool-Aid Man
Kool-Aid character
Kool-Aid Man's appearance since 2000 with clothes
First appearanceJuly 10, 1954 (early version)
July 26, 1974 (official version)
Created byMichael Craig Sr.
Voiced byRichard Berg (1974–1994)[1][2]
Frank Simms (1999–2009)[3]
Pat Duke (2009–2013)[4]
Keith Hudson (2014)
Scott Golden (2015)
Brock Powell (2016–2019)[5]
Matt Howell (2020–present)[6]
In-universe information
AliasPitcher Man
Captain Kool-Aid (in Canada)
Frankie D. Kool-Aid[7]
SpeciesPitcher
GenderMale
TitleMascot of Kool-Aid

The Kool-Aid Man (sometimes referred to as the Kool-Aid Guy or Captain Kool-Aid or Big Thirst) is the official mascot for Kool-Aid, a brand of flavored drink mix. The character has appeared on television and in print advertising as a fun-loving, gigantic, and joyful anthropomorphic pitcher filled with the original flavor of Kool-Aid which was Cherry Kool-Aid. He is typically featured answering the call of children by smashing through walls or furnishings and then holding a pitcher filled with Kool-Aid while saying his catchphrase, "Oh, yeah!" He had a comic series produced by Marvel Entertainment where he fought villains known as "Thirsties" and even fought a man engulfed in fire named Scorch. He can also come in many different colors such as red, blue, green, and purple.

History

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The 1954 debut commercial of the Pitcher Man

The precursor to Kool-Aid Man, "the Pitcher Man", was created on July 10, 1954. Marvin Potts, an art director for a New York advertising agency, was hired by General Foods to create an image that would accompany the slogan "A 5-cent package makes two quarts". Inspired by watching his young son draw smiley faces on a frosted window, Potts created the Pitcher Man, a glass pitcher with a wide smile emblazoned on its side and filled with Kool-Aid. It was one of several designs he created, but the only one that stuck, and General Foods began to use the Pitcher Man in all of its advertisements. The character's face was sometimes animated in synchronization with the jingle.[8][9]

The Kool-Aid Man making his trademark entrance in a 1978 Kool-Aid commercial saying his catchphrase

In 1974, arms and legs were added and Kool-Aid Man was introduced as a 6-foot-tall pitcher of cherry Kool-Aid, reportedly voiced by Grey Advertising composer Richard Berg and created by Alan Kupchick and Harold Karp (of Grey Advertising).[1][2] Children, parched from playing, or other various activities, typically exchanged a few words referring to their thirst, then put a hand to the side of their mouths and shouted "Hey, Kool-Aid!", whereupon Kool-Aid Man made his grand entrance, breaking through walls, fences, ceilings, or furnishings, uttering the famous words "Oh, yeah!", then poured the dehydrated youngsters a glass of Kool-Aid.[10][11][12] In 1979, the character's mouth was again animated to move in synchronization with the voice actor's singing and/or dialogue.[13][14][15]

From at least 1979 to 1981, the character was known in Canada as Captain Kool-Aid.[16][17][18]

By the 1980s, Kool-Aid Man had attained pop-culture icon status, and in 1983, was the subject of two video games for the Atari 2600 and Intellivision systems. He was also given his own short-lived comic book series (prior to that, he starred in a two-issue series published by the General Foods Corporation in 1975)[19] called The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man. It ran for three issues under Marvel Comics from 1983 to 1985[20] and continued with issues #4-9 under Archie Comics, with art by Dan DeCarlo, from 1987 to 1990.[21] It featured the Thirsties, a group of anthropomorphic sun-like creatures, as villains.[22]

In 1994, the live-action character was retired, and from then until 2008, the character became entirely computer-generated, but other characters, such as the children, remained live-action. In 1999, singer and voice actor Frank Simms began voicing the character.[23][3][24] In 2009, the live-action character returned, playing street basketball and battling "Cola" to stay balanced on a log, where he was voiced by Pat Duke.[25][4] Keith Hudson also briefly voiced the character in several Kraft Foods commercials. In 2015, the character was voiced by Scott Golden. In 2016, Brock Powell took over the role for Kool-Aid's major rebranding, including collaborations with Progressive automotive and Nickelodeon and voiced the character for several digital campaigns until officially "passing the pitcher" in 2019.[5][26][better source needed] In 2020, Matt Howell began voicing the character.[6]

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American artist David Hammons used Kool-Aid and incorporated a stamp of the Kool-Aid Man for a piece that hung in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.[27]

The Kool-Aid Man is a playable character in Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff.[28]

In May 2016, the Kool-Aid Man appeared in a television commercial for the American insurance company Progressive, voiced again by Brock Powell.[29]

In December 2018, the Kool-Aid Man appeared with rapper Lil Jon in his Christmas song "All I Really Want for Christmas".[30] As of April 2024, the video has more than million views. Critical reception was positive. Fast Company called it "epic and bonkers".[31] Entertainment Weekly said: "Lil Jon has given us all a true gift".[32] Billboard named it "the greatest Christmas song of all time".[33] The Houston Chronicle said, "you have to see this".[34][excessive citations]

In a Super Bowl LIV TV ad in 2020, Kool-Aid Man, alongside Mr. Clean, appeared in a commercial for fellow Kraft Heinz product Planters, shown as an attendee of the funeral of Mr. Peanut. His tears end up causing a new, baby Mr. Peanut to grow from the ground.[35]

In January 2024, Bring Me the Horizon released the single "Kool-Aid". An edited depiction of the Kool-Aid man appears as the cover art for the single.

Reception

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Time magazine included the Kool-Aid Man on a list of the "Top 10 Creepiest Product Mascots", saying: "Our biggest gripe with Kool-Aid Man: Why did he have to cause such a mess every time he entered the scene?"[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Original Kool-Aid Man: Bring Him Back, Kraft". Youtube.com - Nalts. January 11, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "All Kinds of People". AT&T Tech Channel. January 4, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "America: Live in Ridgefield". The News-Times. June 5, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "About Pat Duke – PAT DUKE • more than words … COLORS".
  5. ^ a b "Fueled By Death Cast Ep. 5 - BROCK POWELL". Death Wish Coffee Company.
  6. ^ a b "Matt Howell- Voice Actor". Matt Howell Actor.
  7. ^ Rumill, Joe (May 2023). "Everything We Know About the Kool-Aid Man". Sporked. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Foster, Nancy (August 11, 2005). "The Life and Times of an American Icon". Hastings Tribune. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  9. ^ "1950s Kool-Aid "5¢ Package" Commercial". General Foods. 1950s.
  10. ^ "1976 Kool-Aid "Roller Rink" Commercial". General Foods. 1976.
  11. ^ "1977 Kool-Aid "Skateboarding" Commercial". General Foods. 1977.
  12. ^ "1978 Kool-Aid "Bank Robbers" Commercial". General Foods. 1978.
  13. ^ "1979 Kool-Aid "School Dance" Commercial". General Foods. 1979.
  14. ^ "1980 Kool-Aid "Bumper Cars" Commercial". General Foods. 1980.
  15. ^ "1980 Kool-Aid "Apple flavor" Commercial". General Foods. 1980.
  16. ^ ""You can meet me, Captain Kool-Aid, at Centreville." ad". The Toronto Star. May 26, 1979. p. J3.
  17. ^ "Watch afternoon air show from waterfront at CNE". The Toronto Star. September 5, 1981. p. A14.
  18. ^ Breznikar, Klemen (October 13, 2011). "Bent Wind interview with Marty Roth". It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020. Shortly after, we received a call from General Foods Ltd, who were interested in doing an east coast tour with us and 'Captain Kool-Aid' and they asked me to write the new Kool-Aid jingle, which I did. Unfortunately, after we released the Kool-Aid song as a free giveaway during the tour, General Foods concluded that the song belonged to them and there would be no payment at all for my writing the song.
  19. ^ "Kool-Aid Komics". Comic Book DB. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  20. ^ "The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man". Comic Book DB. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  21. ^ "The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man". Comic Book DB. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  22. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 404. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
  23. ^ "A Famous Voice Lends His Talent to Worthy Cause". Darien News-Review. March 3, 2006. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  24. ^ "Meet the Voice of the Kool-Aid Man". Adweek. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  25. ^ "Oh, yeah! Voiceover Pat Duke wins the voice of icon Kool-Aid Man over New York's best actors". 31 January 2008.
  26. ^ "Hey Kool-Aid! Have you met Flo?". Crain's Cleveland Business. May 12, 2016.
  27. ^ Russeth, Andrew. "The Man Behind the Curtain: At MoMA, a David Hammons Hidden Behind Silk". Gallerist NY. Observer Media Group. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  28. ^ "Quest for Stuff Quick Walkthrough: Kool-Aid's Endless Summer…". September 26, 2014. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023.
  29. ^ Suttell, Scott (May 12, 2016). "Hey Kool-Aid! Have you met Flo?". Crain's Cleveland Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  30. ^ "Lil Jon featuring Kool-Aid Man - All I Really Want for Christmas (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 17 December 2018.
  31. ^ Beer, Jeff (2018-12-18). "Lil Jon drops epic (and bonkers) Xmas song with the Kool-Aid Man". Fast Company. Archived from the original on 2023-01-03.
  32. ^ "'Oh yeah!' Lil Jon made a Christmas song with the Kool-Aid Man". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018.
  33. ^ "Lil Jon Made the Greatest Christmas Song of All Time with the Kool-Aid Man: Listen". Billboard.
  34. ^ Guerra, Joey (20 December 2018). "You have to see this Lil Jon and Kool-Aid Man Christmas video". Archived from the original on 21 December 2018.
  35. ^ Pearl, Diana (February 2, 2020). "Here's How Mr. Peanut Was Resurrected During the Super Bowl". Adweek. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  36. ^ Carbone, Nick (August 24, 2011). "Top 10 Creepiest Product Mascots". Time. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
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