The Kool-Aid Man

As the world's most famous "spokes-pitcher", KOOL-AID� man has been responding to children's thirst-quenching requests for more than 20 years. And while KOOL-AID� man has evolved during his lifetime, he still remains "ultra-cool" in the eyes of young children. With his hip new '90s look, KOOL-AID� Man continues to lead kids on exciting, imaginative adventures that highlight the joys of being a child.

KOOL-AID� Man was born in 1975 as an extension of the company's famous smile-faced pitcher. Originally dubbed the "Pitcher Man", he first appeared as just a pitcher with a face and legs - arms were added shortly thereafter. The next addition was a "rotoscoped" mouth, which provided the character with a dimension of animation.

He made his grand entrance into the world of TV commercials in the '70s by humorously crashing through obstacles in his quest to provide fun, fruity refreshment to thirsty kids. Amusingly clumsy, KOOL-AID� Man could be summoned by children who clapped their hands together and yelled "Hey, KOOL-AID�!" Within seconds, the ground began to rumble as KOOL-AID� Man burst through the wall shouting his famous line: "Oh Yeah!" In later TV spots he played baseball, drove a go-kart, and even gave break-dancing a try during the '80s.

He remained mostly a TV celebrity until the late '80s when he started appearing on packages of KOOL-AID� Soft Drink Mix. He participated in all kinds of activities that young children enjoy, wearing unique outfits on different packages. For example, he was dressed for a day at the beach on Tropical Punch flavor, a tennis match on Grape flavor, riding a skateboard on Lemonade flavor, and even playing a lasso-tossing cowboy on Raspberry flavor.

While he continued to undergo minor changes throughout his first 19 years, two things remained the same from the beginning: the design of his face (which looks like it has been drawn on a frosty pitcher with a fingertip) and the red-colored KOOL-AID� inside the pitcher.

Using computer generation techniques, KOOL-AID� Man received a significant makeover in 1994 that made him look slightly more mature. His pitcher head became a little more slender, making him a little taller and more proportionally shaped. His arms and legs became sturdier and more defined, giving him a more human look and allowing him to be more agile.

At that time, he cleaned out his clothes closet and acquired a new wardrobe to complement his 90s-style activities. His traditional everyday outfit was upgraded to a rainbow-striped shirt, blue jeans, and red-striped sneakers. When he heads to the mountains on "Mega Mountain Twist" varieties, he sports a blue Hawaiian shirt, swimming suit and flip-flops.

In 1998, when KOOL-AID� expanded into the freezer, KOOL-AID� Man acquired a winter ensemble to protect him from the cold. He bundles up in a parka and snow boots for now frozen KOOL-AID SLUSHIES� and is decked out in earmuffs, goggles, mittens and skis on new KOOL-AID KOOL-POPS�. A true-blue American, he even has a special army outfit that he wears only on packages sold at military bases, complete with fatigues and army boots.

During recent TV commercial antics, he has dressed up in sunglasses, ripped jeans and leather jacket and jumped on stage to play lead guitar for a rock band. He's also been spotted driving down the highway in a customized convertible, as well as in a monster truck, and has even turned an entire supermarket into a fruity, splashy party zone for children. Who knows what fun, magical adventures - and outfits - await KOOL-AID� Man in the next century!