Coco The Monkey

"The choc helps me ROCK!"

Names	Coco the Monkey, Jose
Gender	Male
Race	Monkey
Occupation	Mascot
Origin	Television advertisements for Kellogg's Coco Pops, 1961
Alignment	Good
Age	Unknown
Created By	Kellogg's
Height	Varies
Weight	Varies

Coco the Monkey, also known simply as Coco, is the mascot for Kellogg's Coco Pops (also known as Choco Krispies and Chocos in various regions). He first appeared in 1961 in a black-and-white animated TV advertisement. Coco's design and role have evolved significantly over the years:

Television advertisements for Kellogg's Coco Pops, 1961

• 1961 Debut: Coco initially wore a yellow sun-hat and orange T-shirt and could only say "Coco Pops."
• 1981 Return: After being replaced in the mid-1960s, Coco returned in 1981 as a more anatomically correct chimp, but his role remained minor until 1986.
• 1986 Redesign: Coco was reimagined as more anthropomorphic, wearing a blue baseball cap with a "C," a white T-shirt with his name, and jeans. This version of Coco became the star of the ads, singing jingles about the cereal and introducing the slogan "I'd rather have a bowl of Coco Pops!" He also made friends with various animal characters, and his primary antagonist, Croc (or Crafty Croc), was introduced in 1990.
• 1997-1999 Name Change: The cereal was renamed Choco Krispies in 1997, with Coco's jingle changing accordingly. However, the name reverted to Coco Pops by 1999.
• Late 1990s: Coco was redesigned again in Australia with a reversed red hat, purple shirt, black shorts, sunglasses, and a necklace to make him look more modern and cooler.
• 2000s: Coco’s design varied by region. In Australia, he took on a teenage appearance and led adventures to protect the Coco Pops World Cup. In India, Coco replaced Choco the Bear as the mascot for Chocos. In the UK, he appeared less frequently, with ads focusing on what happens inside the cereal bowl.
• 2011 Redesign: Coco returned in a "space-age" setting with the 'Coco and Co.' factory, along with a scaled-back supporting cast. Ads featured his efforts to stop Croc from sabotaging the factory. The setting later moved to a mountain, and a dolphin character was introduced.
• 2020 Criticism: Kellogg's faced criticism for using Coco, as monkeys have historically been used as racial stereotypes. However, these efforts did not lead to a change, and Coco remains the mascot.

Coco continues to represent the cereal, despite these evolving designs and occasional controversy over his character.