Little Mikey

Little Mikey was a young fictional boy (played by John Gilchrist) in an American television commercial promoting Quaker Oats' breakfast cereal Life. The ad, created by art director Bob Gage (who also directed the commercial) and copywriter Edyth Vaughn "Edie" Stevenson of the Doyle Dane Bernbach agency, first aired in 1972. The popular ad campaign, featuring Mikey, remained in regular rotation for more than 12 years and ended up as one of the longest continuously running commercial campaigns ever aired.

Original commercial

The iconic commercial centers on three brothers eating breakfast. Before them sits a heaping bowl of Life breakfast cereal. Two of the brothers question each other about the cereal, prodding each other to try it, and noting that it is supposed to be healthy. Neither wants to try it ("I'm not gonna try it—you try it!"), so they get their brother Mikey to try it ("Let's get Mikey"), noting, "he hates everything". Mikey briefly stares at the bowl. After moments of contemplation, he begins to vigorously consume the cereal before him, resulting in his brothers excitedly exclaiming, "He likes it! Hey, Mikey!" Mikey's brothers in the commercial are Gilchrist's actual brothers, named Michael (the one on the left in the spot) and Tommy. John is the middle child of seven children born to Tom and Pat Gilchrist of the Bronx.