Tootsie Roll Triumph as Mr. Owl Makes a Friend

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Tootsie Roll’s latest campaign has seen them turn back time and reintroduce a brand icon – Mr. Owl, from the legendary “How Many Licks?” commercial first aired in 1969. Last year saw Mr. Owl taken under the wing of agency SCC, with a remake of the original “How Many Licks?” by modern animators in the classic old school style.

Now it’s time for Tootsie Roll to take the old campaign to a new level, by giving Mr. Owl his first ever sidekick and expanding his role to take in Tootsie Roll candy in general rather than just the Tootsie Pops from the original ad.

In the new ad, “Chameleon”, a chameleon asks Mr. Owl “how do you pick a favorite flavor?” of Tootsie Roll. Before the poor Owl can demonstrate each flavor of candy the chameleon grabs it with his tongue and turns the color of the Tootsie Roll. Finally he gobbles down a whole heap of Toosie Rolls and gets a rainbow makeover.

So the ad is doing three things. It’s introducing Chameleon as a new asset who can show up again alongside the iconic Mr. Owl. It’s letting Mr. Owl be used as a wider brand mascot rather than just a character in Tootsie Pop spots. And most importantly it’s letting viewers know all about the different Tootsie Roll flavors beyond the popular original chocolate one.

And according to Test Your Ad viewers, it’s a stunning success. The ad scores a massive 5.8-Star Rating for long-term business potential, putting it in the top 3% of the highly competitive US Candy category. It also gets an Exceptional short-term Spike Rating prediction, putting it in the top 12% of the category. The Owl/Chameleon team-up is a massive winner, especially with women viewers who gave it the maximum possible Star Rating.

What’s interesting is where that emotional response is coming from, and the answer underlines why Tootsie Roll were smart to bring back Mr Owl in the first place. The key type of happiness in the ad is “Amused”, and the comments and key associations are full of words like “Nostalgia” and “Memories”. The combination of the Owl and SCC’s old school animation and storytelling are making people feel like this is an old, much-loved ad even though it’s fresh for 2026.

Tootsie Roll’s gamble on giving Mr Owl a sidekick is paying off here, as the interplay between the two creatures is what makes the ad funny. Expanding the world of fluent device characters like Mr Owl is often a way brands can bring them new life. And the ad’s hugely positive reception shows why fluent devices and enduring brand assets – including visual style – are so powerful. You can make a new ad feel like an old friend.