Peppy (mascot)

Peppy (from peppermint)[1] is the polar bear mascot and icon of Fox's Glacier Mints, a brand of boiled mint manufactured by Fox's Confectionery in the United Kingdom. Peppy was introduced to confectionery packaging in 1922.[2] At around the same time, Fox's commissioned a taxidermist to shoot and stuff a real polar bear, which was put out on display at such public events as football matches and carnivals to advertise the Glacier Mints.[3][4][5] The exhibition was taken all over the country, and eventually incorporated as many as four other stuffed polar bears.[3][5] In the 1960s, after the advent of televised advertising and after Rowntrees acquired the company, the exhibition was deemed politically incorrect and was removed from public circulation.[4][5] Television commercials which featured Peppy were later produced.

In 2003, the original Peppy – measuring 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long,[5] and with an indeterminate gender[6] – was donated to the Leicester Museum & Art Gallery in Leicester, the city in which Fox's Confectionery is based.[4] The stuffed bear had been lost in a company factory for approximately 20 years.[3] A brand manager said of the donation, "We found it in the back when we were clearing out and decided to donate it to a museum - the best place for it. We didn't want it in the reception because it's so gory we feared it could scare the customers when they visited."[5] After the acquisition, the museum commenced a restoration process which took six years to complete.[5] Peppy was displayed in a public exhibition at the museum from 24 January to 5 April 2009.[3][7]