Tony the Tiger - They’re grrrrrrreat!
He wears a red bandana around his neck and has been the mascot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal for years. Who is he? He’s Tony the Tiger! He was born in1952 as part of a group of characters for the cereal. The other three character’s names were Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant and Newt the Gnu. Tony the Tiger quickly became the favorite among consumers and the others were removed from the cereal packaging. He was designed by a successful children’s book author and illustrator, Martin Provensen. His voice was eventually taken over by Thurl Ravenscroft who gave him a distinct deep bass voice which was associated with him for decades and in my opinion, was what made him famous!
It is to Thurl Ravenscroft that Tony the Tiger owes his success. The slogan “They’re grrrreat!” is probably the longest running and most familiar slogan in TV advertising history. Of all of his roles on radio, Disney animated features and everywhere else, only the popular Christmas music tune “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” even gets remotely close to the fame that Mr. Ravenscroft had with Tony the Tiger. Thurl Ravenscroft was the voice of Tony the Tiger until his death in 2005.
The Kellogg Company is located in Battlecreek, Michigan. Tony the Tiger shares his popularity with other advertising icons that are associated with Kellogg’s such as the Keebler Elves and Snap, Crackle and Pop.
Tony the Tiger is actually a family man, but doesn’t let on to too many that he is. He has wife, a mother, a brother, and in 1974, he had a daughter, Antoinette.
Tony the Tiger has a physique that has changed significantly throughout the years. He started out with almost a “football” shaped head and a smaller body whereas now he has more of an athletic figure, and his eye color has changed from green to gold. Most important though was his “cat” demeanor where he used to walk on all fours. Now, he stands at a towering 6’6”. He is also quite the traveler in that he’s seen more than 42 countries.
There are many Tony the Tiger collectibles available such as watches, bowls, towels and dolls. He even sports a giant hot air balloon in holiday parades although he has a personal policy, that no matter how much money you have, you can’t buy that from him.
You don’t have to be a child to still enjoy and appreciate Tony the Tiger. He is loved by millions and is one of the most recognizable icons in the world, as you’ll see from his picture right here on this page. After all this time, it’s no wonder why he’s still grrrreat!