It is with the greatest sorrow that our PopIcon team reports Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe, also known as Mr. Peanut, has passed away at 104-years-old.
It isn’t often that a brand mascot has a heavily televised death in the media. Historically, when a character doesn’t catch on with consumer the brand will phase it out quietly and replace it with a new face.
The same cannot be said for Mr. Peanut, who has spent more than 100 years in the public eye as Planters’ dapper legume. His shell has gone through a series of redesigns, grown a mustache for the Movember movement, and even has a sneaker line.
How Did Mr. Peanut Pass Away?
Given his age and physique, one might think Mr. Peanut is perpetually a sudden shell crack away from losing it all. However, this is not the case.
Mr. Peanut, in a new teaser spot from VaynerMedia for Super Bowl LIV, was driving down a winding highway with his pals Matt Walsh and Wesley Snipes. They were singing along and snacking on mixed nuts when suddenly an animal on the road derailed the NUTmobile. Mr. Peanut swerved and the NUTmobile went flying off the side of a cliff.
The trio leapt out the NUTmobile’s back hatch door, managing to catch a tree branch on the side of the cliff. The branch began to break as the three dangled in the air. It can’t support everyone’s weight. Somebody has to let go.
Mr. Peanut, dangling from the branch with his signature cane, glanced down at the drop below. It was a drop that could kill his friends and certainly crack him up entirely. But, our fearless legume knew what he had to do. He would do anything for his friends, and this was the greatest #CrunchTime moment of all.
Despite pleas from Walsh and Snipes, Mr. Peanut tipped his hat farewell and let go of the branch to fall to his demise. He landed with a “plop!” onto his NUTmobile.
“Maybe he’ll be alright,” Snipes said, with a hint of hope in his voice.
Seconds later, the NUTmobile burst into flames.
“Maybe not,” Snipes deadpanned.
The commercial ends with an “In Memoriam” to Mr. Peanut from 1916 to 2020.
Mr. Peanut’s Upcoming Funeral Service
Mr. Peanut’s social media platforms have all been rewritten to reflect “The Estate of Mr. Peanut.” The funeral will be broadcast live during the third quarter of the Super Bowl game on Sunday February 2, 2020.
Fans of the iconic legume may pay tribute to his life and times through several celebratory ways. If you see a NUTmobile roaming throughout the United States before Super Bowl Sunday, you will receive a commemorative pin of Mr. Peanut’s life. Use the hashtag #RIPeanut on social media to share your favorite Mr. P memories over the decades. You can also visit Mr. Peanut’s Twitter handle to see how other fellow brand mascots, like Mr. Clean, are paying tribute to the icon.
How does your esteemed writer feel about this news? It’s certainly crushing, but… I believe life will find a way with Mr. Peanut. He can’t be gone yet. The world would just not be the same without him.
