Planters has decided to kill off their beloved animated mascot, Mr. Peanut. In a teaser commercial released last week, Mr. Peanut falls to his death, sacrificing himself to save the lives of his friends, played by actors Matt Walsh and Wesley Snipes.
Mike Pierantozzi, creative director at VaynerMedia, Planters' agency that handled this and last year's Super Bowl spots, said the agency chose the death of Mr. Peanut to elicit a strong reaction from consumers.
The promotions appears to have garnered its intended reaction, based on YouTube views and viral internet sharing. The video now has over 6.5 million views on YouTube (NASDAQ: GOOGL), impressive for a Super Bowl teaser commercial.
"When Iron Man died, we saw an incredible reaction on Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) and on social media," said Pierantozzi, referencing Marvel's (NYSE: DIS) Avengers: Endgame. "It's such a strange phenomenon."
According to Pierantozzi, the idea to kill off Mr. Peanut emerged last summer. They asked themselves: "What would happen and how would the world react if [Mr. Peanut] passed away?"
To promote further engagement on social media, Planters has even tweeted about Mr. Peanut's death using the hashtag #RIPeanut.
Planters' main goal remains that after seeing or hearing about the teaser video, whether before the Super Bowl or during the pregame show (when it will air on Super Bowl Sunday), people will be drawn to watch Mr. Peanut's funeral.
Planters' Super Bowl funeral to celebrate the life of Mr. Peanut will air during the game's third quarter, and everyone is invited to attend.
"It's with heavy hearts that we confirm Mr. Peanut has passed away at 104 years old," announced Planters brand manager Samantha Hess in a statement. "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."
The Planters brand is owned by Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC).