Who Voices Mr. Mucus In The Mucinex Commercials?
Flu season comes but once each year, and with it comes an increase in Mucinex ads. A cough and cold medicine designed to thin phlegm, Mucinex has been synonymous with mucus since 2004 when the company launched a $22 million campaign starring their new mascot, Mr. Mucus. In the years since Mr. Mucus burst onto the scene, advertisers have played around with his look — while the brand's spokes-globule has always been green and sweaty, he's since lost his bushy eyebrows — and his voice. Mr. Mucus' distinctive New York accent was originally provided by prominent voice actors Bill Rogers and Roger Jackson until 2014, when some unexpected news caused the brand to pivot comedians like T.J. Miller and Jason Mantzoukas.
In the mid-aughts, Mr. Mucus was doing big things for Mucinex: In 2006, he helped the brand capture 5% of the market share and reach number four in the cold and flu category; by 2008, he helped Mucinex double their annual growth. But in 2014, Mucinex learned that while their mascot was one of the most recognized commercial assets, he was also one of the most hated. And so, they softened his New York accent and hired T.J. Miller — a comedian who was starting to make waves in film and TV with roles in HBO's "Silicon Valley," TBS' "Search Party," and "Big Hero 6" — to voice the character. Miller enjoyed the gig until 2017, when he was accused by a former college classmate of sexually assaulting her while the two were students at George Washington University during the early 2000s. Miller denied the allegations.
Mucinex decides that T.J. Miller is too dislikeable to play the most disliked commercial mascot
After The Daily Beast published the accusations against T.J. Miller in mid-December of 2017, Mucinex chose to drop the actor from their campaigns and remove his past commercial spots from the brand's YouTube page. Mucinex rushed to recast Miller, replacing him with comedic actor Jason Mantzoukas, who was chiefly known at the time for his work on FX's "The League" and later for his voiceover work on Netflix's "Big Mouth." Mantzoukas' version of the character started hitting TV screens before the 2018 Super Bowl, which took place in early February of that year.
Mucinex is owned by Reckitt Benckiser, and while the company didn't directly comment on Miller's departure, a spokesperson did tell IndieWire that "RB evaluates our strategy, creative and talent on a regular basis, and at this point we are excited to confirm that Mucinex is now partnering with Jason Mantzoukas as the new voice of Mr. Mucus."
Mr. Mucus has come a long way since 2014 when he was considered the most reviled commercial mascot. At the beginning of 2023, the world's best known ball of phlegm was crowned an unexpected sex symbol after Mucinex posted a series of live action videos of the character on Instagram, generating thirsty messages from commenters. After years of hatred and controversy, this shift in public opinion marked a new dawn for Mr. Mucus.