Sooty the Bear Bearbrick

Sooty the Bear x Bearbrick Collaboration

Have you heard of Sooty the Bear? Here’s a quick history lesson:

In 1967, Kellogg’s introduced their Puffa Puffa Rice cereal, which was a puffed rice that went through lots of branding attempts, from Hawaiian surfer themes to toy trains. Kellogg’s seems to have tried everything to get Puffa Puffa Rice to take off. In 1973, they adopted Sooty the Bear, a popular puppet from the UK, to be the face of Puffa Puffa. Sooty tried his best, but he just couldn’t make it work. Two years later, the cereal was no more.

Gone, but not forgotten. Sooty the Bear remains a popular show in the UK, though his brief association with breakfast cereals is a thing of the past.

That’s why this Sooty the Bear x Bearbrick collaboration is particularly exciting. It features Sooty with a Kellogg’s Puffa Puffa Rice box painted on his back.

At varius vel pharetra vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor. Eu augue ut lectus arcu bibendum. Tortor at auctor urna nunc id. Euismod in pellentesque massa placerat duis ultricies. Nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis magna etiam. Proin fermentum leo vel orci porta. Imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar sapien et ligula. A diam maecenas sed enim. Dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat. Ut eu sem integer vitae justo eget magna. Mauris cursus mattis molestie a iaculis at erat.

About Sooty the Bear

Since 1955, Sooty the Bear has been a source of comedic fun for kids in the UK. A yellow hand puppet, Sooty performs magic tricks and expresses his quirky humor without speaking.

Sooty’s association with Kellogg’s was short-lived, as Puffa Puffa Rice didn’t last. But Sooty has known widespread television success for decades.

About Bearbrick

Be@rbrick (Bearbrick) is the brainchild of Medicom Toy, a Japanese company. Collectors love to gather different Bearbrick to match their own fan interests. Each plastic teddy features a cute potbelly and poseable arms, legs, and head.

Beyond the basic figure of a Bearbrick, they are essentially a “blank slate” for artists. They are endlessly customizable, from references to famous comic books to classic artists, from depictions of blockbuster television shows to niche fashion brands. Bearbrick aims to have something for every fan.

Bearbrick are usually available in three sizes: 100%, 400% and 1000%. The 100% is approximately 2.75 inches tall, or 7 centimeters. The 400% is 4 times larger, at 11 inches, or 28 cm. The 1000% is 10 times larger than the 100%, at 2 ft. 4 inches, or 70 cm. On rare occasions, you may also find examples of other sizes, such as 200% or even 10,000%.

Sooty the Bear Bearbrick 400%  – (2021)

Sooty the Bear is a snarky, loveable character from British kids’ TV. He’s demonstrated amazing lasting power for a hand puppet, appearing on television from the 1950s through today.

Briefly, Sooty tried to help the Kellogg’s Puffa Puffa Rice cereal brand by becoming its mascot. Unfortunately, that pairing didn’t last, as Puffa Puffa Rice was discontinued in the United States. Now, Sooty the Bear has moved on with his television career.

The Sooty the Bear x Bearbrick collaboration pays homage to this brief period of 1970s cereal history, when Sooty moonlighted as a breakfast mascot. His design is simple. The bear’s body is entirely yellow, except for his black ears and pink eyes. He is not wearing any clothing or other items.

It’s not until we turn the bear around that we see a reference to his Puffa Puffa Rice history. On Sooty’s back is a white square, reminiscent of a cereal box, that reads “Kellogg’s Puffa Puffa Rice.”

The only option currently available for this collaboration is the 400% size. This is the perfect size for putting on a shelf – perhaps in a pantry next to cereal boxes?

Resources