Their cheerful smiles wake you up in the morning, and they probably get you through the occasional commercial break you still tune into when you’re watching destination television in the evenings, but there aren’t a whole lot of opportunities to truly appreciate the art that has been entertaining you – and selling you things – for years. Luckily, Nerdist pal Dana Lechtenberg will be launching a show at Kansas City’s Reactor Design Studio this Friday, September 5. The show is called “The Heads of Advertising” and will give visitors a more focused look at the characters that made commercials during Saturday morning cartoons and after school TV so memorable.

Lechtenberg said in a statement, “When I was about nine or ten, I would go to the local grocery store with my mom, grab a brown paper bag from the big barrel of peanuts, sit in front of the cereal aisle, and draw the characters from the boxes. The show is a just a chance to smile, maybe hum a jingle or two and think about these lovable guys whose sole mission was to get us to beg our parents to spend.”

The opening reception will be from 5pm to 9pm at Reactor Design Studio in Kansas City, Missouri. The show will run for a month and feature fifteen portraits of your favorite advertising mascots from Charlie Tuna and Burger King to Frankenberry. Make sure you take the chance to stop by if you’re in the area.

Dana Lechtenberg is a well known designer who has frequently worked with Nerdist Industries, and we can’t wait to see his take on these special characters. Here’s a selection for your viewing pleasure if you won’t have the chance to stop by the gallery personally.