Like It Or Not, Quiznos' Bizarre, Iconic Spongmonkeys Are Coming Back
Whether you love or hate them, Quiznos' unusual mascots — the Spongmonkeys — are returning to promote the sandwich chain two decades after their debut. The creatures were first featured in a strange 2003 Quiznos commercial after the sandwich chain contacted their inventor, British animator Joel Veitch, about marketing them. In the original ad, the creatures "sang" a song promoting the chain's sandwiches, belting out "We love the subs" in a strange voice. However, their original run was short-lived, and they were nixed just a year later.
Veitch photoshopped the curious creatures to look like some kind of animal. Speaking to Eater, he said that he used rabbit fur as the base, then added human eyes and crooked teeth, taking inspiration from "strange-looking bears and tarsiers" to create the characters.
Their return 20 years later was also announced via a video featuring the mascots singing yet another song about Quiznos — this time to promote the brand's planned future expansion. The sandwich chain is remodeling its existing restaurants, promoting drive-thru ordering, opening new locations, and launching a revamped menu.
Opinion of the mascots is mixed
The latest ditty features one Spongmonkey playing guitar, while the second one proclaims its love for the road-tripping experience — appreciating gas prices, "creepy billboards," and public restrooms — as the creatures seemingly make their way toward the nearest Quiznos location.
Social media reaction to the return was divided. Some seem to love the strange creatures — perhaps out of nostalgia. "The world is beginning to heal," wrote one Twitter user reacting to the news. Veitch even chimed in, tweeting, "Quiznos have brought the Spongmonkeys back. Hooray! Aren't they beautiful?"
Others weren't so thrilled to see the strange mascots make their comeback (and even felt the first commercial run was a total flop). "Quiznos is resurrecting what was quite possibly the worst television commercial in history: Spongemonkeys," tweeted one user. A poll has been set up on the Quiznos website, and visitors can vote to voice their opinions about the mascots.
Though the original commercials featuring Spongmonkeys aired in the early aughts, a tweet featuring the ad went viral in 2019, earning more than 29,000 retweets and 115,000 likes. Veitch told Eater that he even saw Spongmonkey Halloween costumes and is particularly interested to see a younger generation's reaction to the creatures. Though they may not be beloved by everyone, perhaps the Spongmonkeys will still draw some attention to their favorite sandwich shop.