No Ordinary Rooster: The Story of Red From Kwik Trip
Celebrating one year of being cancer-free at a children’s hospital in Iowa City, a young girl bumped into an unexpected visitor: Red the Rooster, roaming the halls on a mission to bring happiness to everyone on the floor. Red noticed her and handed her a gift, and she couldn’t believe it. The interaction only lasted a mere moment, but the memory will last a lifetime.
In a way, it showed exactly why Kwik Trip created its new mascot in the first place. Red was never just a creative way to sell chicken. He was made to spread joy and good vibes.
Long before Red was taking over the Midwest, Kwik Trip was already winning the hearts of people across the region.
Founded in 1965, Kwik Trip built its reputation on the foundation of treating guests better than anyone else.
In an era where early convenience stores were seen as gritty, Kwik Trip’s founders could often be found working the register to ensure proper hospitality. Coworkers would spend an equal amount of time cleaning as they did ringing up guests, creating a pristine environment to change the stereotype.
For Kwik Trip, it was never just about ROI, traffic, and sales. Their most important job was creating the experience. From fresh bakery items and hot meals to spotless stores and the familiar “see you next time” at checkout, guests came to expect a consistent experience that felt different from the average convenience store.
Over time, creating this kind of environment became the defining traits of the brand. So, when Kwik Trip decided to introduce a mascot, the goal wasn’t simply to just promote a product. It was to bring that feeling to life.
Red isn’t the first time Kwik Trip has introduced a mascot. Back in the 80s, they introduced the world to “The Urge,” a bird-like character who was made to promote Kwik Trip’s line of chips with the same name. As unique as he was, they found that his design was a little limiting in the way he could interact with people. Thus, he was officially retired in 2026.
With Kwik Trip already amid a successful campaign to promote their chicken, they decided that 2026 was the right time to reintroduce a mascot. When Kwik Trip went to the drawing board, they looked to icons like the Muppets and the Coca-Cola bear for inspiration. These characters were well-known for being interactive and expressive, the exact thing Kwik Trip wanted in their own mascot. So, with design in hand, they commissioned us to bring Red to life.
Standing over six feet tall, Red was certainly able to bring the magic to life. Pairing their charming brand with the perfect mascot performer gave Red the perfect, impactful launch that the company was dreaming of.
Once Red was ready to meet the public, Kwik Trip wasted no time introducing him to the communities he serves. They organized the “Red Zone Midwest Tour,” where Red and the team visited over 60 stores in 6 weeks! They made stops in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, and even as far away as South Dakota.
For some fans of Kwik Trip, the event may have been highlighted by sweepstakes to win prizes, the grand one being a brand-new Chevy Traverse. But for others, it was a chance to experience what has made Kwik Trip special for decades: a company that places just as much value on the people they serve as it does their products.
Red was designed to create moments and memories. His whole purpose is to keep people smiling long after they leave the store. One moment in particular stuck with Kwik Trip representative CJ Schrunk.
“We had one little girl, I remember, where [we] walked out of the store and happened to see this girl,” Schrunk said. “She sees Red and she just absolutely lit up. We caught the whole thing on camera which, to me, just captured the whole experience from the character design to what we were trying to do with engagement with our guests, and so on, so forth.”
While the tour was wildly successful in introducing Red to the world, that wasn’t the only highlight. The tour included stops at 6 Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals, where Red had the opportunity to meet kids who are currently fighting or have previously battled various diseases, such as cancer.
We asked CJ what some of his favorite moments were, and he had plenty of stories to share! One that really jumped out was the Iowa City Children’s Hospital. The visit was especially meaningful for Schrunk, whose own life had been saved at the hospital years earlier. Watching a young cancer survivor receive an “I Survived” book and a Red plushie turned the moment into something deeply personal. To add to it, the team visited exactly one year to the day of her being cancer free.
As much as Red does for the guests, the coworkers at Kwik Trip share just as special of a connection with him. Coworkers have the chance to truly interact with the brand – he feels like a fellow teammate as opposed to just a costume.
“Now somebody can, instead of high-fiving the CEO or the logo on the wall, they can high-five Red,” CJ said.
Red makes the mission feel human in ways that are hard to put into words. Thankfully his interactions do all the talking. As CJ put it, coworkers reacted to Red like they were meeting Mickey Mouse at Disney for the first time!
At his core, Red is the perfect way for Kwik Trip to lean into what matters most to them. Having a mascot has opened a plethora of doors for the Midwestern company to fully personify their brand.
Kwik Trip views their usage of Red like a marathon, not a sprint. They’re going to continue to create big plans for him and build off the already existing momentum.
Red may have started as the face of a campaign, but he’s always meant something more. For Kwik Trip, he’s a reminder of what the company has always believed: that the most meaningful experiences aren’t transactional, but memorable.
Whether greeting guests at a store, visiting a children’s hospital, or high-fiving a co-worker, Red’s mission will always be to leave people a little happier than he found them.
Learn from the experts
Invest time into researching mascots and learning from experienced pros. Learn what you can about everything from performance practices to suit design.
Don’t be afraid to take the leap
If you’re considering a mascot: go for it! When done well, a mascot can become a powerful extension of your brand and create real connections.
Keep it interactive
A great mascot isn’t just about appearance. Think about how your mascot will engage with people, navigate events, express personality through its actions, and bring the brand to life.
