Mr. Peanut has been the top-hat and monocle-wearing peanut mascot of the Planters snackfood company since 1916. A dapper fellow, Mr Peanut spruiked the brand in a variety of print and TV commercials over the decades until he was recently "killed off" in a dramatic ad where he sacrificed his life to save Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh (yes, really). What does this have to do with brand revival and promotional merchandise? Read on and find out!

baby peanut promotional headwear

Mascots in Promotional Branding

During their Superbowl commercial this week, Planters decided to revive Mr. Peanut both literally and metaphorically by having him be "reborn" at his funeral as an adorable "Baby Nut." After 2019 saw the world lose their minds online over Baby Yoda, perhaps it isn't too shocking that Planters would do away with the stodgy old Mr. Peanut in favour of a new mascot that's both fresh and adorable. Immediately after the first commercial appearance of Baby Nut, Planters had opened its online store for eager fans wanting to show their love for the newest animated baby... thing. The gamble of doing away with a mascot that had seen them through over 100 years of business paid off, and Planters found brand devotees were keen to get their hands on every piece of branded merchandise boasting an image of Baby Nut.

baby nut customised tshirt baby nut logo branded bag

Why Mascots Work Well On Promotional Items

Mascots work really well for corporate brands on promotional products because they are easily remembered and associated with the brand. People see a fun cartoon character, or animal face and immediately recognize the company it’s representing. Plus, companies can put mascots on literally anything - t-shirts, pens, mugs etc – so its instantly recognisable to customers.

 

Mascots also show that a company has an identity and is engaging with its audience in an interactive way which makes them more relatable "human" like rather than faceless organisation. Having something cute or funny printed onto promotional items helps give connections to people through things they find amusing or appealing. This encourages customers to remember the product (and hopefully buy it!) and we really see this with Baby Nut and indeed Mr. Peanut overall.

Merchandise Featuring Baby Nut

Baby Nut's first range of custom branded merchandise mixes a few unique ideas in with some traditional gear that most fans expect from a corporate merch store. These include;

While it is unlikely killing off your mascot will be a successful move for most businesses, Planters did manage to spin the demise of their old peanut into something positive through Baby Nut. Not only has the Superbowl commercial introduced countless new fans to the Planters brand, but they've smartly directed that newfound adoration into their range of custom Baby Nut goodies.

If you want to get people engaging with your brand in a bold new way, why don't you try promotional merchandise from the team at Cubic Promote? We're happy to recommend best-selling items, provide tailored pricing, and free virtual logo mockups on our range.

 

Images and details found here: https://shopbabynut.com/