After decades bursting through the wall with nothing more to offer than a simple catchphrase of “Oh yeah!” the Kool-Aid is finally gaining a bit of dignity in the form of an actual personality. He’s also going from being played by a person in a foam costume to a computer-generated character, one that is apparently aware of his celebrity status and is attempting to relate to us common folk.

We’re not sure how the Kool-Aid Man actually feels about the makeover,that will see him really trying to relate to his public for the first time since his 1954 introduction to the drink mix scene.

The Associated Press says his new look is part of Kraft’s attempt to push its new liquid drink mix, MiO, and refresh the powdered drink brand’s image.

His new character will apparently be that of a celebrity trying to show the world that he’s just another normal guy, albeit shaped like a pitcher of liquid. And he’ll have more to say than just “Oh yeah!” so we can get to know the real Kool-Aid man.

“He said a few things here and there (in the past), but he really didn’t have a developed personality,” a senior brands manager at Kraft says.

One ad will feature him stepping out from behind a shower curtain with just clear liquid in his pitcher, claiming his life isn’t all “cherry and sweetness.”

“I put my pants on one leg at a time,” he notes, while choosing what to wear from the pantry. “Except my pants are 22 different flavors. I’ve got grape pants, I’ve got watermelon pants.”

Mmm, watermelon pants.

Kraft to juice up ‘Kool-Aid Man’ look [Associated Press]

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