Why Quiznos Resurrected the Spongmonkeys, Advertising’s Most Divisive Mascot

They’ve been called “gerbils with birth defects,” “Mr. Potato Rats,” “hell lemurs” and “the weirdest corporate mascot of all time.” Since appearing in ads for Quiznos in 2004, Spongmonkeys have divided customers. While the characters were meme-worthy, there were also reports that they made some children cry. 

Quiznos’ former agency partner The Martin Agency was behind the Spongmonkey campaign, but British animator Joel Veitch birthed the bizarre creatures before they became a brand mascot. As Veitch tells it, a night at the pub inspired him to write a song about the moon, which led to him animating strange, bug-eyed furry animals that belted out the tune. 

When The Martin Agency came calling, Veitch decided that Spongmonkeys harbored a love of subs. Quiznos’ former chief marketing officer Trey Hall said at the time that the brand wanted a memorable device to captivate audiences despite its small marketing budget, but after numerous complaints from viewers, it discontinued Spongmonkeys because “we weren’t quite connecting.”

Now, after nearly two decades in hibernation, Spongmonkeys are back on the scene, starring in a new Quiznos campaign by Boston-based agency Tank Design and Veitch. In the ad, the screeching animals set out on a roadtrip to rediscover their beloved subs. 

After filing for bankruptcy in 2014 and being acquired by High Bluff Capital Partners in 2018, Quiznos began opening new outlets last year for the first time in over a decade. The brand needs to create more buzz, and what better aid than the Spongmonkeys?

“[Spongmonkeys] have lingered somewhere in the cultural subconscious due to the shocking, and at times cringeworthy, reactions they evoke. With fans on social media asking us repeatedly where they have gone and journalists producing several think pieces, the Spongmonkeys have remained in the spotlight long after their debut in a way that few other campaigns or mascots have,” Quiznos CEO Tim Casey told Adweek.

“The Spongmonkeys emerged as an obvious choice to pay tribute to the dedicated guests who go out of their way to satisfy their sub craving and let consumers know of the exciting growth phase Quiznos has entered.”

As Spongmonkeys prepare to haunt a new generation of consumers, Adweek spoke to Veitch about why the time is ripe for their return.  

Adweek: How would you describe a Spongmonkey?

Joel Veitch: A Spongmonkey is a hairy primate, utterly beautiful and with the ability to hover above the ground. They are sartorially elegant, with a love of fine hats. Their love extends far beyond headwear though. They are the most relentlessly, mind-bendingly positive creatures on the planet. Their celebration of things of all kinds is at their very core, and they express this fizzing, irrepressible joy through their gift of music. There is no creature so musical as a Spongmonkey.

AW: Where did the idea for the character come from, and why is it called that?

JV: I had been chatting to my brother in the pub one evening about how great the moon is (it really is very good as you are probably aware). We went home and started jamming with a guitar, and I improvised a song, which I recorded on a camcorder. The next day I animated a couple of characters I had been playing about with in Photoshop, so they were singing the song. These characters were the Spongmonkeys. 

They were called that because at the time I was a member of a creative community at b3ta.com, where the word “spong” was being used to describe the process of adding stupid eyes to an image. These guys had pretty messed-up faces, so I called them the Spongmonkeys.

AW: How did it become the mascot for Quiznos? Why does it make sense as a representation of the brand (or does it)?

JV: When I released the Spongmonkeys originally they were singing about the moon, and they had yet to discover their overwhelming love of Quiznos subs. When I was approached about doing the Quiznos commercials with them, I jumped at the chance. They realized that Quiznos subs were the only thing they actually loved more than the moon (although I want to be very clear that they still absolutely adore the moon as well) and off we all went together on this wonderful adventure. 

As far as brand representation is concerned, their overwhelming love for the subs is probably the main factor here. That and the way they tend to grab attention with their debonaire looks and beautiful song. Mainly, though, this is about positivity. They seriously love those subs.

AW: Reactions to Spongmonkeys have covered the full spectrum of emotions. What’s been the most surprising to you?

JV: I was quite surprised by how much of a kerfuffle the little chaps caused when we originally put them out, as I had been living on the internet for some years and the threshold for what counts as bonkers there is probably a fair bit higher than in society at large. I don’t think the specific reactions were surprising as such, but the scale of it all was an eye-opener. 

AW: During the original campaign, there were reports that Spongmonkeys made some children cry. Do you think it’s okay if a brand mascot alienates people?

In these divided times, the relentless positivity of the Spongmonkeys is an important lighthouse in this era.

Joel Veitch

JV: That probably depends on the brand to some extent, and its values. You probably don’t want to cause division if you are manufacturing baby milk, but Quiznos has always been edgy with their advertising.

AW: Reboots are notoriously difficult. What creative principle or idea guided you in reviving the Spongmonkeys?

JV: Spongmonkeys blast enthusiasm at full volume, and that will never change. What would they do if you woke them from their extended hibernation right now? They’d go find some subs! The spot leans into them being back and going on a road trip to find a Quiznos, which tributes the loyalty of Quiznos fans who go out of their way to get their favorite subs, but fundamentally it is still our little hairy heroes.

AW: As you’ve worked on other commercials, what do you think makes a good mascot or brand character?

JV: The sense of character is everything. It’s not just about making them look cute, it’s about giving them an identity which is completely gettable straight away, and different from all the other thousands of characters you are constantly bombarded with. Some of that is visual, some is voice, some is writing, but it all goes together to create something memorable and unique. And keep everything positive.

AW: Is there anything about the current cultural climate that could make this a good time for the Spongmonkeys’ return?

JV: In these divided times, the relentless positivity of the Spongmonkeys is an important lighthouse in this era. We can get swamped with all the hate and arguing on social media and in the news. Everywhere is conflict. However, the Spongmonkeys show us the way. They love everything and everyone. They do not have a negative bone in their hairy little levitating bodies. All they need to be truly happy is a Quiznos sub. They LOVE the subs. Everything else is just noise. Be more Spongmonkey, and life will be happier.

AW: Finally, what do you hope people take away or feel about Spongmonkeys?

JV: Their purest essence is a relentless positivity which I think we can all learn from. People may not have the taste necessary to really appreciate their beauty or their magnificent song, but I think everybody should be able to learn from this joyful exuberance. We all need more of that in our lives.