The holidays are upon us and everyone is in a joyous but panicked mode. Everything from what to serve for the holiday meal, to which family member is bunking with who, to dealing with holiday travel. We’ve put together a small sampling of our top 5 favorite winter beverage mascots to help us get through this holiday season. So, sit back, relax, have a drink and read on.
Swiss Miss
There’s nothing quite like coming inside from the cold, windy, winter weather and having some good old-fashioned hot chocolate waiting for you. For more than 50 years, these folks have been creating their signature Swiss Miss blend in a real dairy in Menomonie, Wisconsin. They support the more than 80 local dairy farms that supply them with farm-fresh milk every day, and they package all of their products right here in the USA.
The 1970’s (and early 1980’s) Swiss Miss mascot is one that is forever a part of my childhood memory – mainly due to the Claymation commercials she starred in. Of course, the mascot herself has not appeared on packages of Swiss Miss in YEARS, but I felt as a child of the 80s who loved Swiss Miss products, and still do, that I had to include her.
Budweiser Clydesdales
Next up is a fantastic holiday team of mascots for Anheuser-Busch. From the Prohibition era to Super Bowl commercials, there is perhaps nothing more iconic in Budweiser’s storied history than its team of Clydesdale horses. More than just a mascot, the Clydesdales have been an integral part of Anheuser-Busch for more than 80 years.
In April 1933, August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch III surprised their father, August A. Busch, Sr., with the gift of a six-horse Clydesdale hitch to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition of beer.
Today, the Budweiser Clydesdales continue to be an enduring symbol of the brewer’s heritage, tradition and commitment to quality, making hundreds of appearances across the country each year.
When they’re not making appearances around the country, the Budweiser Clydesdales also continue to be marketing stalwarts for Anheuser-Busch. They first appeared in the Super Bowl in 1986 and have since appeared in more than 25 Super Bowl commercials for the company.
Coca-Cola Bears
Our favorite holiday bears are at it again. The polar bear first debuted in a Coca‑Cola print advertisement in France in 1922 and then appeared periodically for the next 70 years. The modern polar bear did not make its debut until the 1993 “Always Coca‑Cola” campaign in a television ad called “Northern Lights”.
There have been a ton of polar bear television spots since the 1993 debut, including two commercials for the 1994 Olympic Games in which the bear slid down a luge and soared off a ski jump. Bear cubs also were introduced in a holiday ad in which the bear family selects its Christmas tree. Since then, the polar bear has appeared in numerous television and print advertisements becoming one of the most popular symbols of Coca-Cola advertising.
Captain Morgan
There are cold days when all you want to do is curl up with some tea or cocoa and a good book. Then there are cold, blustery days that you need a bit more kick. Especially around the holidays, you might need a whole lot more of a kick. Enter Captain Morgan please! Having some Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is an adult holiday adult beverage must have. And while there are several varieties of their spiced rum, you’ll never be without the very best in spiced rum for the holidays.
