When people think of Guinness, one image often comes to mind before anything else: a toucan, balancing a pint on its beak, looking entirely too pleased with itself.
That character wasn't dreamed up in a boardroom. It came from the sketchbook of one man — John Gilroy — whose artwork helped shape the visual identity of Guinness for generations. More than 90 years later, his characters are still instantly recognisable. That's not a coincidence. That's genius.
Who Was John Gilroy?
John Gilroy was a British artist and commercial illustrator who created some of the most memorable advertising campaigns in history — most of them for Guinness, during the 1930s and 1940s.
At a time when most advertisements focused on product features and straightforward messaging, Gilroy took a completely different approach. He brought humour, personality and colour to the brand through a cast of unlikely characters that captured people's attention and refused to leave their memory.
His work didn't just sell Guinness. It turned the brand into a cultural institution.
The Birth of the Guinness Toucan
The story of the toucan begins, appropriately enough, at a circus.
Gilroy visited one and filled his sketchbook with animals. Those sketches — and the characters that grew from them — would go on to become some of the most beloved figures in advertising history.
The toucan quickly became the star of the series. Brightly coloured, slightly absurd and endlessly charming, it brought a lightness to Guinness advertising that felt completely fresh. The famous accompanying slogan — "How grand to be a Toucan, just think what Toucan do" — became one of the most quoted advertising lines of its era.
More Than Just a Toucan
The toucan may be the most famous, but Gilroy's Guinness world was populated with an entire cast of characters.
Each had its own personality, its own moment in the spotlight and its own place in Guinness history:
- The Toucan — the enduring star, still the most recognised Guinness character in the world
- The Ostrich — deadpan, dignified and utterly unforgettable
- The Sea Lion — playful, expressive and perfectly at home balancing a Guinness
Together, these characters gave Guinness an advertising language that was warm, witty and entirely its own.
Why Gilroy's Work Still Matters
Most advertising campaigns fade within a few years. Gilroy's have lasted nearly a century.
The reason is simple: he wasn't just creating ads. He was creating characters — with personality, humour and a visual style timeless enough to outlast the era they were made in.
For Guinness fans, these characters represent something beyond advertising. They're part of the brand's heritage. A reminder of when illustration sat at the heart of visual storytelling — and when a good idea, executed brilliantly, could travel the world without a single algorithm.
The Guinness Gilroy Collection
Today, John Gilroy's legacy lives on through the Guinness Gilroy Collection — a range of official Guinness apparel that brings three of his most iconic creations back to life.
The Toucan, the Ostrich and the Sea Lion. Each one reimagined for modern apparel, each one rooted in the original artwork that made them famous.
For collectors, Guinness enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates the craft behind a great design, the collection is a chance to wear a piece of advertising history.
Shop the Guinness Gilroy Collection →
A Lasting Legacy
Very few artists can claim to have created characters that remain instantly recognisable nearly a century after they first appeared.
Gilroy managed it — through creativity, humour and a distinctive style that felt completely his own. The continued popularity of the Toucan, the Ostrich and the Sea Lion is the clearest possible testament to what he built.
Some things, done brilliantly enough, simply last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was John Gilroy? John Gilroy was a British artist and illustrator responsible for many of Guinness's most famous advertising campaigns during the 1930s and 1940s.
What is John Gilroy famous for? He is best known for creating the iconic Guinness advertising characters — the Toucan, the Sea Lion and the Ostrich — which remain some of the most recognisable figures in advertising history.
Why is the Guinness Toucan so famous? The Toucan became one of the most iconic advertising characters in the world through a series of campaigns created by John Gilroy, combining humour, charm and a completely distinctive visual style.
What is the Guinness Gilroy Collection? The Guinness Gilroy Collection is a range of official Guinness apparel inspired by John Gilroy's classic advertising artwork, featuring the Toucan, Ostrich and Sea Lion.
Are the Gilroy characters still used by Guinness? Yes. The Toucan, Ostrich and Sea Lion remain important symbols of Guinness heritage and continue to appear on official merchandise and special collections today.
