Dr. Simi

Dr. Simi
A Dr. Simi standard costume
First appearance
1997
Created byFarmacias Similares
Based onJoaquín Pardavé
Designed byDaniel Burgos
Voiced byArturo Martínez Aviña
In-universe information
OccupationPhysician
Significant other
Dr. Lares
NationalityMexican

Dr. Simi is the mascot of Farmacias Similares, a Mexican pharmacy chain. Dr. Simi is depicted as an elderly, smiling physician with a large moustache and eyebrows, wearing a white doctor's coat. Outside many stores, people dressed as Dr. Simi in mascot costumes can often be seen dancing.

Dr. Simi was created alongside Farmacias Similares in 1997. His character design was inspired by Joaquín Pardavé's character in the film My Memories of Mexico (1944), with the intention of portraying him as a trustworthy, calm, and wise figure.

The character's reception has changed over time. During the 2000s, costumed Dr. Simi mascots were often tackled in the streets. Since then, however, Dr. Simi plush toys have become popular gifts from fans to musicians during concerts. The plush toys are typically customized with outfits resembling those worn by the artist receiving them.

Design

Joaquín Pardavé (photographed in 1954) inspired the design of Dr. Simi.

With the creation of Farmacias Similares, its founder, Víctor González Torres, commissioned the design of a mascot: "a gray-haired character who inspired confidence and calm, gave the impression of being very knowledgeable, but who was also a bit of a rascal". Publicists from La Jornada submitted several sketches, but none satisfied González, who also wanted the character to resemble Susanito Peñafiel, portrayed by Joaquín Pardavé in the 1944 film My Memories of Mexico. After being informed of this additional requirement, Daniel Burgos produced the sketch that González ultimately approved.[1] Arturo Martínez Aviña voiced the character in advertisements from 1997 until his death in 2022.[2]

Dr. Simi is depicted as an elderly, smiling physician with a large moustache and eyebrows, wearing a white doctor's coat.[3] He has a colleague, Dr. Lares, the mascot of SimiPet Care, a chain of veterinary clinics operated by Farmacias Similares. Although the company has not officially confirmed their relationship, Dr. Lares is widely speculated to be Dr. Simi's wife because their surnames form the pun "Simi-Lares".[4]

Popularity

Tackles

With the rise of YouTube's popularity, a trend emerged in which people dressed as Dr. Simi were tackled while wearing mascot costumes.[5]

Plush toys

Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, with a personalized Dr. Simi plush toy

Since 2005, Farmacias Similares has sold Dr. Simi plush toys manufactured by Cinia, a company whose workforce consists predominantly of people with disabilities.[6]

During the 2021 Corona Capital music festival, a fan threw Norwegian singer Aurora a Dr. Simi plush toy onto the stage while singing. According to the fan, she had purshased it before the concert. Although such items were prohibited, security did not ask her to dispose of it, which she interpreted as a sign of good luck. She later decided to throw it to Aurora, who received it positively. The action helped popularize a trend in which fans throw Dr. Simi plush toys to musicians during concerts, often customizing them to resemble the artist receiving them.[7]

Although the trend has been positively received by many musicians,[8][9] including Adele and Rosalía, who have displayed their collections of Dr. Simi plush toys,[10][11] others,[12] such as Rubén Albarrán, lead singer of Café Tacuba, have rejected or defaced them.[13] The trend also led to the creation of the Simifest music festival.[14]

Simi Colonia

Simi Colonia in 2022

In 2007, Fundación Farmacias Similares selected Colonia San Carlos Cantera, a neighborhood in Ecatepec de Morelos, for a community assistance program. At the time, the neighborhood lacked basic public services, including a reliable water supply, and faced high levels of insecurity. The foundation commissioned artist Oliver Tormenta to create a mural project in which Dr. Simi's logo was painted on the exterior walls of residents' homes. Over a ten-month period, approximately 350 houses were painted. In addition to the mural project, the foundation provides food packages, medical care, assistance for single mothers, and medication for people with diabetes.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Revelan que Doctor Simi es copia de Joaquín Pardavé; lo mismo pero más barato" [It's been revealed that Doctor Simi is a copy of Joaquín Pardavé; the same thing, but cheaper]. México Desconocido (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  2. ↑ Lebrija Clavel, Mariana (27 November 2022). "Murió Arturo Martínez Aviña, quien daba voz al Dr. Simi" [Arturo Martínez Aviña, who voiced Dr. Simi, died]. El Universal (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Pardo, Daniel (23 July 2024). "La exitosa historia del Dr Simi, el modelo de farmacias baratas que México extiende por Chile y Colombia" [The success story of Dr. Simi, the low-cost pharmacy model that Mexico is expanding into Chile and Colombia]. BBC Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Velazquez, Ana Karen (18 June 2025). "SimiPet Care: ¿quién es la Dra Lares?; la 'esposa' del Doctor Simi que ahora figura en veterinaria" [SimiPet Care: Who is Dr. Lares?; Dr. Simi's 'Wife', who now works as a veterinarian]. El Universal (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  5. ↑ Valencia, Marisela (2 July 2026). "¿Cuál es el origen del Dr. Simi? La historia del personaje más querido de México" [What is the origin of Dr. Simi? The story of Mexico's most beloved character]. Imagen Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Baena, Mayte (20 December 2023). "Quién es el dueño de Cinia, empresa a la que el Papa Francisco envió mensaje tras tener su peluche del Dr. Simi" [Who owns Cinia, the company to which Pope Francis sent a message after receiving a Dr. Simi plush toy?]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Méndez, Dora (17 August 2022). "Así surgió la tendencia de lanzar muñecos del Dr. Simi en los conciertos" [This is how the trend of throwing Dr. Simi dolls at concerts began]. As (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 November 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "10 artistas que han abrazado al Dr. Simi" [10 Artists who have embraced Dr. Simi]. Time Out (in Spanish). 16 August 2022. Archived from the original on 21 January 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Cupitra, Katterine (9 September 2022). "Artistas que han recibido Dr. Simi" [Artists that have received a Dr. Simi]. Univisión (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Muestra Adele su colección ¡de Dr. Simi!" [Adele shows off her Dr. Simi collection!]. Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Rosalía presume colección de peluches del Dr. Simi y dedica emotivo mensaje a México" [Rosalía shows off her collection of Dr. Simi plush toys and dedicates a heartfelt message to Mexico]. Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 8 June 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Gutiérrez, Norma (15 September 2022). "Dr. Simi: ¿Qué artistas han rechazado al peluche más famoso de México?" [Dr. Simi: Which artists have turned down Mexico's most famous plush toy?]. Informador.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Rubén Albarrán, de Café Tacvba, destroza el muñeco del doctor Simi sobre el escenario" [Rubén Albarrán of Café Tacvba tears up a Dr. Simi plush toy on stage]. El País (in Spanish). 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 14 March 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Jácome, Sebastian S. (17 November 2025). "Los festivales que llegaron para quedarse: Flow Fest vs. SimiFest". Chilango (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 December 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "La historia detrás de la colonia del Dr. Simi" [The story behind the Colonia Dr. Simi]. Expansión (in Spanish). 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
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