Almost 100 years after The Pillsbury Company was founded in 1869, a new and enduring mascot was introduced--one who would change the face of carb-centric goodies forever--the Pillsbury Doughboy.

He wasn't the first successful mascot for the company. In the '30s, a spritely, American Revolution sort of fellow (think the Quaker Oats Quaker... sort of) rose to prominence and fizzled out. In the early '60s, Funny Faces were used to promote the company's powdered drink (a major Kool-Aid competitor).

But it wasn't until Pillsbury's ad agency, Leo Burnett Co., enlisted the help of animator Hal Mason to create Poppin' Fresh, a white, doughy chef's hat and scarf-wearing doughboy, in 1966 that the company became known for its mascot more than its products.

The character was quite a risk--making a 3-D claymation Doughboy costs a whopping $16,000! But after adding the talent of veteran voice actor Paul Frees (best known as Boris Badenov of The Adventures of Bullwinkle and Rocky), the commercial campaign truly began to pay off.

Today, Poppin' Fresh's high-pitched giggles are handled by actor JoBe Cerny.

And now for this week's test of marketing/advertising fortitude: Would you be as interested in Pillsbury products if the Pillsbury Doughboy didn't exist? Think about it.

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