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Kellogg has had many mascots like “Tony the Tiger” and “Toucan Sam” that lived a charmed life and ruled the cereal aisle for decades. But then the “Dig’em Frog” walks into a cereal box and stays for fifty years. It was introduced by Kellogg’s in 1972 to give “The Honey Smack” cereal a more fun-oriented, relatable, and “hip” appeal to children. And soon Dig’em became an overnight sensation. The popularity of the honey smacks frog was short-lived and was replaced by “Wally the Bear” in 1986. This unfair dismissal, stir anger and rebellion within the consumers and the Dig’em was brought, proving that you don’t mess with a classic. Today, the journey of Dig’em Frog is quite inspiring for brands looking to make a lasting impression on their audience. As he is the ultimate survivor of the “Cereal War”.
Join us as we go behind the box to explore the origins, the evolution, and how Dig’em has navigated name changes, recipe tweaks, and the shift from 2D animation to CGI.

The Pre-Dig’em Era of Sugar Smacks

In the 1950s Kellogg launched a cereal brand known as “Sugar Smacks”. However the brand dealt with many marketing challenges as they found it hard to find a brand character with lasting appeal. Initially, they took off with Cliffy the Clown in 1953, followed by a brief stint with Sappy the Seal. When those failed to ignite the market, Kellogg’s leaned into the popularity of Westerns by recruiting the Hanna-Barbera star Quick Draw McGraw. Till late 1960s, none of the mascots made any progress nor did they possess the “it factor” required to build a lasting legacy. That’s when a frog in a baseball cap entered the picture and became the king of the cereal world.
Kellogg’s realized that it was time to innovate and get a unique character that can resonate with today’s modern generation. So, finally in 1972 Sugar Smacks was renamed to “The Honey Smacks” and came to the market with a green amphibian that stole the spotlight.

The Birth of Honey Smacks Frog

In 1972, when every character and face failed, the Honey Smacks cereal team reached out to Chicago’s Leo Burnett advertising agency for help. The agency’s Art Director James Mackey designed the box of a cereal with the frog mascot on it. It was a small, green frog with a wide grin, bright red sweater, and a signature orange baseball cap. Vibrant colors were used to portray the frog as a confident, cool character who loved the cereal and encouraged the kids to try it with his catchphrase, “You’ll dig ’em!”. So more than a salesman, he was a friend to the OG generation.

The Voice behind the Honey Smacks Frog

The 2D personality of the Dig’em frog from honey smacks was brought to life with the voice of many talented actors. For the first time Jerry Connors, gave the frog a soulful, street-smart edge that resonated with kids and adults alike. Later Frank Welker, Howard Morris, Len Dressler, Larry Moran, and Jeff Morrow added their own signature style to the mascot. While the actors changed to keep up with modern trends, they all stayed true to the foundational “Dig ’em!” catchphrase that Jerry Connors first made famous.
Brands who focus on designing custom printed cereal boxes with logos, colors, and graphics and consider the real life of a mascot an expense. Here is a tip for you all. The voice is a vital part of a character’s identity. If it isn’t so, then when “Wally the Bear” took over in the 1980s, the fans would not have demanded the cereal with frog on box. That’s because they missed the iconic, croaky “Dig ’em” sound that had become synonymous with their breakfast routine.

Evolution of Dig’em Frog from 2D to 3D Mascot

Dig’em Frog is always pushing forward and never looking back. In simple words it never stayed stuck in the past. To keep up with the ever-changing tastes of breakfast tables, his look has been remarkably redesigned with help of modern animation technology and ideas.
Originally in the 1970s, things were kept simple and cozy for the Dig’em Frog by picturing him in a plain red sweater that contrasted perfectly with his green skin. Later in the 1980s, he sometimes appeared without the sweater or carrying a backpack. To appeal to the new Gen Z who are extreme sports fans, Dig’em adopted an athlete look. It’s a vibrant blue backwards baseball cap with a street-smart posture. This shift from a humble, sweater-wearing amphibian to a trendy, cap-wearing skater ensured that while the mascot was decades old, he never felt “dated” to the kids pouring a bowl of Smacks.
Regardless of the changes in costume, the art style of the frog also displayed an inventive approach. The classic 1970s cereal with frog on box was a hand-drawn character with a grainy, aesthetic appeal. Later, in the 2000s, the frog made the leap into the third dimension. It transitioned from hand-drawn drawings to CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) to interact more dynamically with live-action actors in commercials and appearing more lifelike than ever on high-definition packaging.

Read More: What Makes Cereal Mascots Iconic Childhood Characters?

The Great Controversy of Honey Smacks Frog Unfair Dismissal

Whether it’s retail or corporate branding, there is a golden rule for custom luxury packaging boxes. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. Kellogg’s made a big mistake by breaking this branding code. They unceremoniously retire Dig’em Frog in favor of a brand-new face “Wally the Bear”. The reason behind the face change was to create a connection with the key ingredient of the product which is “Honey”. And a bear is perfect for this job.
Unfortunately, the dig’em fans reacted in a fierce manner. There were several protests by the college students and letter-writing campaigns that made it clear to the company that the public wanted their honey smacks frog back. They didn’t want a bear. All the efforts of Dig’em fans didn’t go in vain. In 1987, after only about a year in the spotlight, Wally the Bear was sent into early retirement and Dig’em made a triumphant comeback. It was for the first time in history that a mascot was brought back by popular demand.

Summing it Up!

The evolution of Dig’em Frog mirrors the evolution of the cereal aisle itself. He witnessed the transition from the sweet Sugar Smacks era of the 1970s to the more conscious Honey Smacks branding of today. Through name changes, recipe tweaks, and the shift from hand-drawn animation to the digital age, his backwards cap and laid-back attitude have remained a constant North Star for the brand.
So, as long as there is a box of Smacks on the shelf, we can bet that Dig’em will be there to inspire the competitive cereal breads from his ever changing designs and remarkable journey of fifty years.