If you're wasting your time reading a blog about product mascots then you've probably heard of Quisp. He's the wacky alien mascot who always speaks in his "outside voice" about the cereal with which he shares his name. Total solo act, right? Sure, he has that vibe but he was originally a part of a duo.
This commercial was the debut for both Quisp (little alien guy) and Quake (big miner guy). They were both supposed to be representative of various frontiers. Quisp cashed in on the excitement of the growing space exploration program since his domain was outer space. As for Quake, his stomping ground was "inner space." So he essentially liked to dig in the ground. Clearly he was at a disadvantage from the beginning.
Before you start questioning the legitimacy of this feud, take another look at the .gif above. Quisp pulls a gun on Quake! In their first appearance! The little announcer guy throws fuel on the fire by immediately instructing kids to pick their favorite (and essentially vote with their wallets...or their parents' wallets).
And just like that, the feud began. So to celebrate this rivalry, here are some arbitrary facts about the unlikely pair.
They Both Got Merch
Fifty cents and two box tops would have gotten you one of these sweet Quisp or Quake plush dolls that you could eat breakfast with. Of course, again, you'd have to choose. I mean, I suppose you could get both but that would take an entire dollar and four box tops and an amount of parental patience and interest that probably wasn't too likely back in those days.
If you do a search on eBay today of both "Quisp" and "Quake" you'll find that Quisp easily has more merchandise. Consider it the spoils of war awarded to the feud winner.
Quake Got a Makeover
Miners have yet to really get their due when it comes to showbiz popularity. And since cowboys were really popular back in the day, the powers-that-be decided it was time for a change. Perhaps demonstrating a lack of faith in the character, Quake was switched from an "inner space" guy to a "cowboy" guy. The ad boys leaned into it and produced a commercial showing Quake hopping into a makeover machine and coming out a lean, mean cowpoke desperate to sell cereal.
The Duo Was a Trio Briefly
In that age of prosperity, cereal was selling and "more" was "better" so Quaker decided to roll out a third cereal...perhaps an eventual replacement for Quake? So Simon the Quangeroo was born and his orange flavored cereal hit the shelves.
Perhaps indicative of some elitism on Quisp's part, Simon was mainly paired with Quake. There was one commercial where Simon and Quisp competed with each other in a race across the country but, alas, the fix was in and Quisp took the win. The loss shook Simon and he inevitably disappeared joining Fruit Brute & Yummy Mummy in fruit flavored obscurity.
The Gang Existed in the Cap'n Crunch Extended Universe
These days we're used to shared universes, with every Avenger happy to pop up in each other's movies and whatnot. But before our favorite heroes took on Thanos and even before Laverne & Shirley teamed up with Fonzie, an even more epic cross-over took place on the small screen.
Since all parties involved were owned by Quaker, it wasn't a big deal to get them together for a special occasion. This occasion was the giveaway of Matchbox Cars and you can even see the animosity between the boys in the .gif above as the poor Cap'n is caught in the middle.
Well, a rivalry like this couldn't last...and it didn't. Eventually Quake went away, perhaps buried in his beloved inner space, for good. Quisp continued his reign for several years...until he didn't. His cereal eventually went away, for the most part, but he's had a resurgence or two over the years.
You can still find it on the shelves of certain stores if you're lucky. But if you decide to pick up box, spare a thought for an old friend...a long lost miner/cowboy who never stood a chance in the cutthroat world of breakfast cereals.
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