THE “NEW” MONSTER MASCOTS CONTEMPLATED BY GENERAL MILLS IN THE 1990s

My recent blog post about the short-lived General Mills cereal mascots Sir Grapefellow and Baron Von Redberry reminded me that – even though I covered the five Monster Cereals from General Mills in 2021 – I had neglected to cover the four new Monster Cereal mascots that General Mills contemplated using in the late 1990s. (Carmella Creeper didn’t come along until 2023.)

This post will remedy that by examining the proposed mascots for what would have been GM’s new cereal flavored like raspberry mixed with hints of other berries.

BRIDE OF FRANKENBERRY

Monster Model: Elsa Lanchester as the Bride of Frankenstein

Comment: Okay, Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Boo-Berry, Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy were long overdue for a female mascot to join their ranks.

Personally, I feel that Yummy Mummy should have been female, and that way Bride of Frankenberry would have been a second distaff addition, but what can ya do?

Downside: Bland, not very monstrous appearance. Fan art (see below) of a spicier version of the Bride made her more monstrous but did nothing to combat the fact that she was basically just a retread.

PHANTOM-BERRY

Monster Model: The Phantom of the Opera

Comment: This fellow may well have been the best we could have expected if we absolutely had to settle for another “berry” name.

General Mills had previously had a grape flavored cereal with the above-mentioned failed Flying Ace mascot Sir Grapefellow, so why not bring back the grape cereal with a monster mascot called Grape Goblin? And “goblin” is generic enough that the mascot could have been either male or female. Or how about Grape Witch? Alliteration isn’t everything.

DR. JEKYLLBERRY

Monster Model: Dr. Jekyll

Comment: I feel this one was a little too forced. And who would Dr. Jekyllberry have turned into? Mr. Hydeberry? Berry overload.

If they were willing to be this unimaginative could Freddy Kruegerberry, Mike Myersberry and Pinheadberry have been far behind? 

BERRYPATCHTRA

Monster Model: A mummy crossed with Cleopatra

Comment: I can see them thinking, but making Yummy Mummy female could have incorporated some of Berrypatchtra’s design with the former’s multi-colored patches.

Also, this name may be even more awkward than Dr. Jekyllberry. If they absolutely had to go with another berry mascot why not something like Berry Beast, which could have been almost any kind of monster, male or female. Or maybe Berry Banshee?

Back in 2021 I also suggested cereals like Banana-Witch or ‘Nilla-Witch or Zom-Bea, a female zombie whose cereal could have looked like tiny brains. 

At any rate, for a closer look at Carmella Creeper, the new monster mascot that General Mills DID ultimately go with in 2023, here’s a larger picture of her and her caramel-apple cereal:

…