No.106164812 ViewReplyOriginalReport
Seriously, what's the real reason behind Spongebob success?
Spongebob is a billion dollar worth franchise, it outlived all of it's peers like no other, it achieved worldwide Mickey Mouse levels of recognition with only a handful of episodes that aired for a couple years.
But deep down, Spongebob was just another cartoon, with production, drawings and gags not really that different from other cartoons.

I have the theory there are some really really heavy subtle psychological subsets that make Spongebob appeal to the human subconscious, which made Spongebob's reception so memorable during it's first 3 seasons.
I think it has to do with a combination of geometrical shape, proportions and color combination that makes him appeal to things naturally like.