• March 29, 2012

The Quaker Oats Quaker man is looking a bit younger and trimmer these days.

The image so closely associated with the 134-year-old brand and its logo (known to insiders as "Larry") will be sporting slightly shorter hair, and his visage is somewhat slimmer and trimmer (no more double chin), so that he appears about five years younger, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The makeover, done by Hornall Anderson, is part of PepsiCo's efforts to reinvigorate the brand globally. The concept: Leverage today's consumers' associations of oatmeal with "energy and healthy choices" without jeopardizing the heritage, trust and quality associated with the brand and its logo, Quaker CMO Justin Lambeth and the agency's VP of design, Michael Connors, told WSJ.

The goal was to update "Larry" subtly, so that the changes register subliminally, rather than overtly, on consumers. 

The redesigned logo also has a new shape, a prominent red backdrop, and a band of gold along the bottom suggesting a "seal of quality" on every box, along with the addition of the phrase "Est 1877" to reinforce the brand's tradition and quality.