If you’ve been wondering why one of the most recognizable mascots in the world was suddenly and tragically killed this week in a lead up to a Super Bowl commercial, well, the answer is rather obvious: Attention.
In an ad posted online this past week, Planter’s mascot Mr. Peanut is seen hanging on a branch over a chasm with actors Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh. The branch is breaking, so to save his friends, Mr. Peanut lets go, falling to his death atop the “Nutmobile,” which promptly explodes. Naturally, fans were saddened to see the beloved icon die so tragically – and that’s why Planters did it.
The ad was created with VaynerMedia and will appear before the Super Bowl, with a follow-up ad depicting Mr. Peanut’s funeral running during the game. Mike Pierantozzi, the group creative director for VaynerMedia, admitted that the ad is a stunt to make fans emotional and sell products. Granted, every commercial is trying to sell products, but Planters’ attempt to tug at heart strings to sell products seems cruel.
“We started talking about how the internet treats when someone dies — specifically, we were thinking about fictional characters, [like when] Iron Man died,” Pierantozzi told CNBC while referencing “Avengers: Endgame.”
“When Iron Man died, we saw an incredible reaction on Twitter and on social media. It’s such a strange phenomenon,” Pierantozzi told the outlet.
So, Planters decided to get in on the action. Pierantozzi said the idea was brought up last summer, when the team wondering, “What would happen and how would the world react if he passed away?”
“We did the unthinkable: we created a program and an idea where Mr. Peanut dies, and dies specifically sacrificing himself for his friends, which has always been a tenet of who he is and what he does — he always puts others first,” Pierantozzi told CNBC.
Planters has followed up the add by changing Mr. Peanut’s Twitter name to read, “The Estate of Mr. Peanut,” and the company released an obituary for the popular character.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we confirm Mr. Peanut has passed away at 104 years old,” said a statement released by Planters brand manager Samantha Hess. “He will be remembered as the legume who always brought people together for nutty adventures and a good time. We encourage fans to tune in to Mr. Peanut’s funeral during the third quarter of the Super Bowl to celebrate his life.”
Pierantozzi said he thinks the ad campaign has succeeded.
“You have to strike the perfect tone on this, or you really could end up with a problem,” he said. “So we definitely considered that. We’re very happy with the response we’re getting. We feel like we nailed the tone.”
Admitting that it was done just depress people into buying peanuts, however, may make the campaign go down with others that have cynically killed off characters. As CNBC noted:
Of course, some brands have gone the death route for the Super Bowl and failed, the Wall Street Journal’s CMO Today pointed out Thursday morning. Nationwide’s 2015 ad that showed a boy who had died and could never grow up weirded out viewers. (The company’s CMO left shortly after.) And a spot now known as the “robot suicide ad” from General Motors was later changed after sparking criticism, including from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.