ANA Marketing Futures Podcast

ANA Marketing Futures Podcast


The Evolution of Ernie: Managing an Iconic Brand Mascot, with Keebler and Advantage Unified Commerce

October 17, 2023

You know what they say: all good things must come to an end, and, after several months of insightful conversations with some of the most influential marketers in the industry, today is the last episode of our Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Our guests today are a dynamic duo who were tasked with bringing an iconic brand mascot into modern times. We’re talking Ernie, the original Keebler Elf, with Alicia Mosely of Keebler and her partner, Jason Katz of Advantage Unified Commerce. Alicia and Jason discussed how they managed such a valuable piece of IP, including allowing fans to “play” with the concept while still maintaining governance over their mascot. Finally, we discussed how brands can think strategically about living at the intersection of culture and commerce.