Caterpillars are unassuming, bashful little leaf-eaters who quietly undulate through life. Sweet, “go-along-to-get-along” polite and quiet, caterpillars are lovable, goofy and friendly. But the caterpillar story does not stop there. You see, caterpillars are nothing short of magical. With multiple tiny feet, they scale huge trees thousands of times their size to find the most delicious greenery. They are also nature’s weather reporters – able to predict the severity of the upcoming winter by the color and furriness of their coats. And, perhaps their most amazing trick of all: every caterpillar one day decides it’s time for a nap, so they weave a silky cocoon and settle in for the best beauty sleep ever. And, when they wake up – they are no longer their cute, little, earth-bound selves. Instead, they emerge as beautifully colored, airy, “look-at me” butterflies!
Only Mother Nature knows all of the caterpillar’s fascinating secrets. But at Moneytree, we know a thing or two about caterpillars and how they can transform themselves and an entire brand into something that is truly spectacular.
Remember Bob?! Sure you do! Bob the Moneytree caterpillar has been Moneytree’s iconic spokes bug for years. And this blog is dedicated to Bob and all his amazing accomplishments, including his unique metamorphosis into the iconic Moneytree branding dynamo! We hope you enjoy Bob’s story!
Why a Caterpillar? Why Not!?
When Moneytree set about choosing a new mascot back in the 1990’s, it already had a long history of advertising under its belt using a multitude of media, including television advertising. Jump in the way-back machine and check out some of Moneytree’s early TV ads, like “Electric,” “Cable” and “Dinner”!
But it was time for a new approach – one that was friendlier and more relatable. So, the Moneytree folks sat down with a local advertising company that pitched the idea of a caterpillar becoming Moneytree’s new mascot. “Well,” said Moneytree’s CEO, Dennis Bassford, “It’s a tree – a ‘Moneytree’ so we wanted a mascot that was highly identifiable with a tree. We considered birds, squirrels and even monkeys – but none were quite right. Then, the idea of a caterpillar came along and that really stuck! Caterpillars love to climb trees and eat yummy leaves so it seemed to be a good fit.” Makes sense to us!
So, a caterpillar it was! … But finding just the right one was another challenge. And so the hunt began to find just the right bug. Moneytree knew he had to be fuzzy, warm and likable, but what they didn’t imagine was that the original mascot would be … how to say it? Big boned? And on top of that, he would look remarkably like a man in a caterpillar suit. Big boned or not, Moneytree knew they had found their caterpillar when they came across this husky cutie.
What’s in a Name?
True fact: Caterpillars don’t usually have names. So once Moneytree found the right caterpillar they got to thinking “Hey, our customers are going to want to call him something.” So the naming game began and a whole bunch were considered including “Bill”, “Jimmy” and even “Woody”. Well, none of these names were right – especially Woody. Woody was very problematic. But then the name “Bob” was suggested and that was just right. Bob. Of course! It’s simple – it’s endearing – it’s perfect!
Early TV Spots
So Bob began his career as Moneytree’s spokes bug and newest TV star. And people loved him! Or rather, half of the people loved him. The other half found his sweet on-screen persona annoying. But the good news is that 100% of the people remembered Bob and associated him with Moneytree; affordable financial solutions, convenient hours and locations, and world-class customer service.
Now, no one could hold a candle to Bob – except, perhaps for Babs – Bob’s on-screen love interest. But as they say, the road to true love is rocky. That was proven before Bob met Babs as he was making an on-screen pitch for a personal ad about the type of girl he’d like to meet.
Now, as soon as this ad hit the air, the phone calls started coming in. It seems like some TV listeners did not hear “slug” with a “g”. Nope – some TV listeners heard slug with a “t” – which is a totally different word! Half of the callers were completely disgusted (as you can imagine!). But … the other half were laughing hysterically and wanted to know when the ad would run again so that they could watch it with all their friends. Well there you have it … it’s important to speak clearly and enunciate!
Bob Has Changed Over the Years
Once tree-bound, Bob has traveled throughout the years and been to many exotic places. A natural bon-vivant, he enjoys good friends and good food – especially sushi!
And, just like any caterpillar, throughout the years, Bob has gone through a couple of physical changes. Later on, Bob went digital and got lots of fan mail on his transformation. Bob attended red carpet events and discovered one of the secrets to Moneytree’s enthusiasm for customer service. Sugar… lots of sugar.
Bob’s Back!
Recently, Bob has undergone another physical metamorphosis to star in his favorite activity – representing Moneytree, its team and its great customers. We caught up with Bob in the produce department of his local grocery store to ask him about his comeback.
“It’s really exciting,” Bob said. “Of course I was born to be the Moneytree caterpillar. I love their great customer service, affordable financial solutions … and of course, the tree – delicious! In preparation for the next chapter of my career, I’ve been working out, eating right and I even changed up my hair! I don’t know if it is a full-blown metamorphosis or not, but I can say that I can’t wait to get out there and start telling everyone that, after 40 years in business, Moneytree is better than ever – just like me …. Bob!”
Head over to Moneytree’s Instagram and Facebook accounts to keep up with Bob’s adventures!
