Mr. Peanuts, the mascot for Planters Peanuts, died at 104 in a marketing stunt leading up to Planters’ upcoming commercial during the 54th Super Bowl. All things must end, but why the monocled mascot went down in such an explosive way has the general public scratching their heads.
The official mascot of Planters, Mr. Peanut first came to be in 1916. In a joint effort between a boy named Antonio Gentile, who submitted his design during a mascot design contest, and Andrew S. Wallach, Mr. Peanut became the official face of Planters. However, after over 100 years, Mr. Peanut has officially met his end. In a commercial starring alongside Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh, Mr. Peanut sacrificed himself to save his friends. In the commercial, the trio is holding onto a branch over a canyon, but since it can’t hold their weight, Mr. Peanut bravely lets go, falling to his death, and blowing up in a fiery explosion. In response, The Estate of Mr. Peanut’s Twitter account confirmed his death, referring to it as a “selfless act.” But why did he have to die in the first place?
Though Planters hasn’t offered an official explanation as to why they decided to kill off the face of their brand, Super Bowl ads are traditionally the perfect venue for brands to make bold statements. Apple promised an anti-dystopia with the release of their first Macintosh computer, Monster.com depressed everyone who ever settled on their career, and Budweiser put its campaign’s success or failure into the hands of a couple of frogs. So, while Mr. Peanut’s death is a loss, it’s already proving to be a win for the brand. Planters has gotten the attention of millions of fans who will be tuning in to watch Super Bowl LIV to see what might be revealed during its official TV spot (which will also double as Mr. Peanut’s funeral). They’ve even managed to inspire an Avengers: Endgame meme.
It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that Mr. Peanut has died at 104. In the ultimate selfless act, he sacrificed himself to save his friends when they needed him most. Please pay your respects with #RIPeanut pic.twitter.com/VFnEFod4Zp
— The Estate of Mr. Peanut (@MrPeanut) January 22, 2020
Planters has placed itself into an ideal marketing position. Not only does the pre-Super Bowl ad set up the official TV spot, the unexpected death of a classic icon has everyone’s attention. The payoff may not necessarily end up as satisfying as the setup, but that’s the magic of clever marketing. It’s no different than JJ Abrams’ mystery box – setting down a trail of breadcrumbs to rack up suspense. Whether the payoff lives up to the setup is irrelevant. The job is to get attention. For Planters, given the virality of Mr. Peanut’s death and his funeral’s anticipation, it doesn’t matter if the outcome is a new flavor or a new mascot. The journey is always more satisfying than the destination after all.
That being said, the likeliest result of Mr. Peanut’s death is the reveal of a successor. Rebranding can be a marketing survival tool. And, if this does turn out to be the case, Mr. Peanut will stand alongside a number of a notable icons who passed (or will pass) their metaphorical torches to their replacements. Steve Rogers handed off his Captain America shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, a new May Queen was chosen in Midsommar, and Daniel Craig will be handing off the reins to a new James Bond after No Time to Die. If nothing else, Mr. Peanut is in good company.
Source: The Estate of Mr. Peanut, National Museum of American History, Bob Chipman
