You may be wondering what this article has to do with this blog. Shouldn’t it be on one of my other blogs instead? At the end of the article, you may still be wondering this. But another article will be arriving soon that ties it all together. This article takes a look at companies that have successfully linked their image with an animal. I am sure that I will miss some, but you can identify those for us in the comments section.

1. Mouse

Walt Disney successfully built an entertainment empire around Mickey Mouse. A mouse? How did an animal that causes screeching cries of “It’s a mouse” come to represent the magic of childhood imagination? Originally Mickey was named Mortimer. Disney’s decision to change the name to Mickey was one of his first great ideas. We all know how to sing M-I-C-K-E-Y. (Admit it, it’s in your head right now). I’m not sure we would be doing the same if it was M-O-R-T-I-M-E-R. (You are trying to play that out in your head, aren’t you?) Mickey Mouse is recognized around the world.

2. Gecko

The insurance company Geico chose an animal that sounded like the name of their company. They have made this lizard witty, practical and charming in their commercials.

3. Bear

Smokey the Bear has long encouraged us to prevent forest fires. In fact, in the 3rd grade I won a trophy for a Prevent Forest Fires poster contest. That was the beginning and the end of my art career.

4. Cow

I grew up watching Elsie the Cow promote drinking milk. This is a natural link between product and the product source. Bees dot the labels of honey jars in your grocer’s aisle. In my advanced adult years, Elsie the Cow has been replaced by the Chick-Fil-A cow. This company has reversed the natural link between product and product source. Cows encourage us all to eat more Chikin.  Disclaimer: my son, Carlton, is gainfully employed by Chick-Fil-A.

5. Dolphin

Television shows have made some animals iconic. Flipper is so associated with dolphins that restaurant servers near the ocean often have to remind patrons that the dolphin on the menu is actually mahi-mahi. Nobody wants to eat Flipper.

Ok, I’ll stop there. What other animal icons come to mind? Leave a note in the comments section. Just don’t connect a bunny with a certain Southern California mansion and magazine. My mom reads this blog .

If your gas pedal sticks while you are accelerating and your car crashes into something or somebody, what would you do?  Such is the question that many drivers of Toyota cars are asking.  The Chattanooga Times Free Press tried to get answers from several area Toyota dealers.  One dealer from a Dalton, Georgia lot provided this slice of wisdom when asked if vehicles are safe.

Toyota is trying to be as proactive as possible.  We have a Facebook site if they do run into a problem.

Let me get this straight.  Toyota is planning ahead for those who might have a problem.  Their plan is a Facebook page?  Keep this in mind if your Toyota gas pedal sticks and you crash.  I would suggest becoming a fan of the page before your next drive.  That way you are already connected in the event you don’t survive the wreck.

Now that’s what I call customer service.

Today I learned that I enjoy the better things in life.  What was my source of this revelation?  Burger King.

I strolled into a Burger King today for lunch.  I was not really prepared to learn something so profound about myself.  I really should not have even been in a Burger King — not the best diet for a diabetic.

The Good Life & a BK Cup

Yet there on my cup were these word, this “cup tells others you enjoy the better things in life.”  Wow!!!  My BK cup is a sign of the good life.

I looked around the joint and saw other revealing nuggets of wisdom.  For example, if you add bacon to your sandwich you are one who takes things to another level.  I was not one who had elevated the level of his standing today.

I was not able to identify myself as being suave or smooth as silk since I did not get mayonnaise.  The mustard eaters (again, no mustard today) dream in color, keep from letting things get them down and are the lives of the party.

Obviously, this was part of some sort of fortune cookie campaign by the Whopper folks.  Personally, I think that their advertising department should be fired.  They have the lamest commercials on television.

But I guess I should thank them for letting me know that I enjoy the better things in life.  I’m just not sure that a large Diet Coke falls in that category.