Does The Pringles Mascot Have A Name?
If you're a fan of Pringles, you're probably very familiar with the affable face on the cover of each tempting tube of chips. With a bushy mustache, beady eyes, and a red logo bowtie (we're assuming his mouth is under that facial hair?), when it comes to recognizable mascots, the guy on the Pringles can is right up there with Chester Cheetah and Mr. Peanut. But, what should we call this long-standing resident of the chip aisle?
Without further delay, let us formally introduce you to Julius Pringles. According to Inside Hook, Julius Pringles has been around since 1967 and has had a few makeovers, though all versions have included the iconic, Pringles-inspired shape of his mustache. The company even posted a video on Twitter in 2020 showing what Julius' body looked like after "Last Week Tonight" TV host John Oliver promised to donate $10,000 to Feeding America if the brand revealed the until-then mysterious details. The video was rather disappointing — simply featuring a person in a big Julius costume head — but at least Pringles matched the $10,000 donation to make it worth the while.
A few other folks are just as iconic in Pringles history
A few talented folks are also just as iconic as Julius (just maybe not as in the public eye) that have helped bring Pringles to fruition over the years. According to Mental Floss, one of them was Gene Wolfe, a former combat engineer in the Korean War and later a science fiction writer. Not only did Wolfe help develop the machine behind the novelty frying process for Pringles, but he went on to write hundreds of essays, poems, and short stories as well as a four-volume novel (via Bend Bulletin).
Another inventor who helped make Pringles what they are today is Fred Baur — he even chose to be buried in a Pringles can. According to the Guardian, Baur was an organic chemist and food storage technician for Procter & Gamble, the company that was responsible for filing for both the patent for the Pringles tube and the space-minimizing method of packing the delicious chips in it. As the story goes, upon his passing, Baur's children put a portion of his cremated remains in a Pringles container in his grave.
According to Snack History, the credit for Pringles' shape and can belongs to Baur, but the prize for giving the beloved chips flavor should go to Alexander Liepa, who improved the taste of the chips enough for them to be sold. Liepa made it onto the patent for Pringles as the chips' inventor, and has earned every ounce of our undying gratitude ever since.