Planters hits pause on Mr. Peanut death ad campaign after Kobe Bryant tragedy

A shot from the Mr. Peanut advertisement. | Business Wire

Planters will put a pause on its Super Bowl ad campaign

Planters will hit the brakes on its Mr. Peanut death ad campaign following the tragic death of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, according to AdAge.

What’s going on: Planters began a viral ad campaign last week that centered on Mr. Peanut — the star mascot of the Planters brand — dying in a car crash.

• The campaign was set to extend to the Super Bowl with an ad that might have included his funeral.
• The company planned an ad called “Road Trip” would air before the Super Bowl. The funeral would have aired during the game, according to AdAge.

However: Planters has decided to put a pause on its campaign after Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash.

• Planters: “We are saddened by this weekend’s news and Planters has paused all campaign activities, including paid media, and will evaluate next steps through a lens of sensitivity to those impacted by this tragedy.”

Reaction to the ad: As I wrote for the Deseret News, social media went wild over the loss of Mr. Peanut, joking about the ad campaign and loss of the mascot. Several people shared their final thoughts with the hashtag #RIPeanut.

• The coverage of the ad led to about $13.7 million in brand value, according to NBC News. That is about triple the cost of a single Super Bowl ad, which is $5.6 million.

What’s next: The ad pause will impact ads on Twitter, YouTube and other outreach, according to CNBC.

• It’s unclear how the company will move forward with its promotion.

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