His message was muddled, that's what, says a Forest Service history blog:
That last statement reveals the stumbling block to success that so many
forest history characters trip over: they are given too many things to
simultaneously to represent and it confuses the target audience. Is
Benny about fire prevention? Stopping litter bugs? Wise and
multiple use? Aren’t the first two really just part of the third? This
problem of a muddled message is why the Forest Service later created Woodsy Owl—people
were trying to use Smokey Bear to talk about litter and other issues
and it diluted the power of Smokey’s message. Further complicating
Benny’s path to stardom was the introduction of Cal Green and Sniff and Snuff in
California the same year Benny was introduced. How’s a beaver in
cut-off overalls supposed to compete against charismatic Cal and the
sartorial splendor of Sniff and Snuff? As Benny might say, dam if I
know.
One way, Smokey's way, I say. Thou shalt have no other bears before me
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