Debbie Laskey's Blog: Happy International Tiger Day!

Celebrated annually on July 29th, International Tiger Day, was established in 2010 during the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia by 13 tiger range countries (defined as countries where the animals roam free). The day's purpose is to raise awareness and support for the conservation of these magnificent creatures.

Here are some interesting facts about tigers:

(1) Like human fingerprints, no two tigers have the exact same stripe pattern.

(2) A tiger's roar can be heard from nearly two miles away.

(3) A tiger's night vision is six times better than a human's.

(4) Tigers can leap up to 33 feet in a single bound.

(5) The tiger's closest relative is the lion. However, while lions are social animals who prefer to live in groups, tigers are solitary.

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, the Tiger ranks third among the animals, and the next Year of the Tiger will be 2034. The Tiger is a symbol of strength and courage. Many Chinese children wear hats or shoes with a tiger image for good luck. People born in the year of the Tiger usually have a down-to-earth personality and a down-to-earth work ethic. With great confidence, they can be competent leaders. Some famous people who were born in Years of the Tiger include Queen Elizabeth (1926), Leonardo DiCaprio (1974), and Lady Gaga (1986).

And now, let's pivot to marketing and check out some brands featuring tigers in their logos and brand storytelling.

DETROIT TIGERS

According to Wikipedia, "The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit as a member of the minor league Western League in 1894 and is the only Western League team still in its original city. They are also the oldest American League team still playing in their original city under their original name. Since their establishment in 1901, the Tigers have won four World Series championships (1935, 1945, 1968, and 1984).

The team was referred to as the Wolverines and Creams in their inaugural season in 1894 before they became the Tigers. There are various legends about how they got their nickname. One involves the striped socks they wore. However, the earliest known use of it appeared in the Detroit Free Press on April 16, 1895. In the book "A Place for Summer: A Narrative History of Tiger Stadium," author Richard Bak states that the name originated from the Detroit Light Guard military unit, who were known as "The Tigers." They had played significant roles in certain Civil War battles and in the 1898 Spanish–American War. Upon entry into the majors, the ballclub sought and received formal permission from the Light Guard to use its trademark. From that day forth, the team has been known as the Tigers.

The Tigers are the only team in Major League Baseball to have a color on their road uniforms that is not on their home uniforms (orange). The Tigers first added orange to their road uniform in 1903, but it was not until 1972 that the Tigers made orange an accent color on their road uniforms full-time. The Tigers also wore the "orange D" navy caps at home during the late 1940s through the 1950s...The Tigers wear a white and navy blue home jersey with "Tigres" across the chest for their annual "¡Fiesta Tigres!" game to recognize and honor the contributions of Hispanic and Latino players and coaches to the game of baseball."

CINCINNATI BENGALS

According to Wikipedia, "The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division...The team's official mascot is a Bengal tiger named Who Dey, and its jersey number is 1. The team also has the Ben-Gals, the team's cheerleading squad..In 1997, the Bengals designed a logo consisting of a leaping tiger, and it was added to the uniform sleeves. Another alternate logo consisted of a Bengal's head facing to the left. However, the orange helmet with black tiger stripes continued to be the trademark. In 2004, a new tiger stripe pattern and more accents were added to the uniforms. The black jerseys now featured orange tiger-striped sleeves and white side panels, while the white jerseys began to use black tiger-striped sleeves and orange shoulders. In 2018, a new logo consisting of an orange "B" covered with black tiger stripes was introduced."

PRINCETON TIGERS

According to Wikipedia, "The Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of Princeton University. The school sponsors 35 varsity teams in 20 sports. The name "Tigers" originated in the early 1880s when students began wearing orange and black stripes on their jerseys and caps, prompting sportswriters to give them the moniker. And an undergraduate dressed as a tiger mascot began appearing at football and basketball games starting in the 1940s."

TONY THE TIGER FROM KELLOGG'S FROSTED FLAKES CEREAL

According to Wikipedia, "Tony the Tiger is the advertising cartoon anthropomorphic tiger mascot for Frosted Flakes (also known as Frosties) breakfast cereal, appearing on its packaging and advertising. After the original Kellogg Company spun off its North American cereal business in late 2023, the mascot is owned by WK Kellogg Co. in the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean markets and by Kellanova in the rest of the world. Since Tony's debut in 1952, the character has spanned several generations and has become a breakfast cereal icon." Who can forget Tony's classic line, "They're GRRRRRREAT!"

CLINIQUE MAKE-UP

Fzine shared in January 2022, "For the Year of the Tiger (2022), the packaging of Clinique's spot corrector and moisturising lotion got a vibrant and auspicious red upgrade with gold tiger caps and an all-red bottle. Spot the cheeky tiger head design on the cap of the lotion."

What other famous brands feature tigers in their logos or brand storytelling? Chime in and share.

Debbie Laskey's Blog

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Happy International Tiger Day!