Whole New Shelf Life

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Ellin Martens, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Flora Tartakovsky and Josh Tyrangiel

Last week, Life cereal began re-airing the original Mikey-Likes-It commercial, which ran from 1972 to 1984. It features a finicky four-year-old who, contrary to rumor, did not perish from mixing Pop Rocks and Coke but became an ad executive, proving that you can take the boy out of the ads, but he'll still make money there. Mikey should feel right at home. There are lots of other comeback kids:

QUISP Crunchy corn cereal

Launched in 1965, Quisp's "quazy" mascot starred in Saturday-morning commercials battling his cereal archrival, Quake. He dazzled earthlings but faded from view in the late '70s. Relaunched last year, Quisp was NetGrocer.com's top-selling cereal last month.

JOLLY GREEN GIANT Vegetable advocate

Created in 1925, the Giant started out looking more like a scowling dwarf, and he wasn't even green. Years later, this hunky mascot was named the third most recognizable icon of the 20th century by Advertising Age (behind the Marlboro Man and Ronald McDonald). His role was diminished in 1991, but the Giant resurfaced last August in a new print campaign.

CHARLIE THE TUNA StarKist spokesfish

Spawned in '61, Charlie starred in more than 85 TV ads over 30 years. At the height of his popularity in 1986, he had a 91% consumer-awareness rating. Reintroduced last May, the techno-savvy tuna now graces screen savers and mouse pads.

MR. WHIPPLE Grocer who begged customers not to "squeeze the Charmin"

Introduced in 1964, Mr. Whipple was the third most recognized person in the U.S. in 1978 (just behind Richard Nixon and the Rev. Billy Graham), according to a TV Guide poll. After a 15-year hiatus, actor Dick Wilson was brought back from retirement in May 1999, at age 82.