Character of the Week: The Pillsbury Doughboy

Poppin’ Fresh, The Pillsbury Doughboy

The Pillsbury Doughboy is one of the cutest advertising icons ever invented.  Born in 1965, he was created by Rudi Perz, of the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency.  Mr. Perz had been sitting in his kitchen and thought that it would be really great if a character made of dough popped out of the crescent rolls package when it was opened.

His vision for the doughboy’s appearance was a pudgy little character named Poppin’ Fresh.  He had blue eyes, a big smile, and wore a chef’s hat and scarf.  The doughboy would also giggle when poked in the belly.  The artist, Martin Nodell, took Perz’s idea and created the image of the character that we see today.

At first, Poppin’ Fresh was conceived as an animated character, but he ended up being made with stop motion clay animation, the same method used for Gumby and Pokey.  The Pillsbury Doughboy is still around today, and he is created with CGI, Computer-Generated Imagery.

When the Doughboy made his first appearance in October of 1965, no one had any idea how popular he would become.  People just loved the cute little character, and Poppin’ Fresh merchandise started to show up.  There were dolls, figurines, clothing, and other items featuring the Doughboy.  Many of these collectibles are sought after today, and some are rare enough to be worth a good amount of money.

In the 1970s, Poppin’ Fresh was given a family of dough characters.  His wife’s name was Poppie Fresh, and there were also GrandPopper and GranMommer, a cat named Biscuit and a dog named Flapjack. Although the family did not last long in the advertising world, a set of dolls was created in their likenesses, and they are considered a prized collectible today.

As for Poppin’ Fresh the doughboy, he has continued to advertise Pillsbury products, and he is just as loveable today as he was in the beginning of his career.  He hasn’t changed much, but he did go through a period where he sang rap songs and played a butter-knife guitar, and he has even done the Hokey-Pokey in some commercials.

Although these changes were fun, they could never replace everyone’s favorite characteristic, his giggle.  I’m sure many people have wished they could poke him in the tummy to make him laugh, but they can only watch the television commercials.  At the end of over 600 commercials, Poppin’ Fresh has been poked in the belly and giggled, “Hoo-hoo!”

For over 40 years, Poppin’ Fresh, The Pillsbury Doughboy, has delighted people of all ages with his cute little doughy body.  He has mass appeal, and his universal cuteness keeps him from having to change his appearance throughout the years.  The Doughboy’s adorable looks and trademark giggle are what have kept him going strong in the advertising world, and I’m sure he will continue to be the face of Pillsbury products for many years to come.