spokescritter

English

Etymology

Blend of spokesperson +‎ critter

Noun

spokescritter (plural spokescritters)

1. An animal or animated creature that is used as a brand representative or spokesperson.
   • 1999, William F. Arens, Contemporary Advertising, page 430:

     Tony the Tiger, the longtime spokescritter for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, is just one famous example of how animation can be used in advertising.

   • 2007, Marion S Lane, Stephen L. Zawistowski, Heritage of Care:

     Animated Spokescritters adopted by ASPCA from the Walt Disney animation studios began to appear in public service announcements.

   • 2009, Lawrence R. Samuel, Brought to You By: Postwar Television Advertising and the American Dream, page 128:

     For Alka-Selzer, hundreds of people were audtioned in a nationwide talent search for the voice of Speedy, the brand's diminutive, animated spokescritter.

   • 2017, Lynn Turner, Edinburgh Companion to Animal Studies:

     I want to return to a telling moment in the Telus campaign in which the company defends the naturalness of its spokescritters by insisting that they are not induced or lured into performing any out-of-the-ordinary behaviour for its print or visual media.