Planters to pull Mr. Peanut ad after Kobe Bryant's death
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Planters to pull Mr. Peanut ad after Kobe Bryant's death
by Austin Nivison
20 hours ago
In the wake of the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people as the result of a helicopter crash in California on Sunday, one company has decided to pull its Super Bowl ad that featured the death of a long-time mascot.
Last week, Planters released an online ad that saw the company’s famous mascot, Mr. Peanut, fall to his death after his Nutmobile crashed. The advertisement, which was entitled “Road Trip” and featured actors Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh, was set to run prior to the Super Bowl on Sunday. A 30-second ad showing his funeral was set to run during the third quarter of the game. However, Planters announced on Monday that it had halted that campaign out of respect for the nine victims of the helicopter crash that included Bryant and his daughter, according to a report from AdAge.
“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,” the brand said in a statement Monday.
The death of Bryant and Gianna sent shockwaves through both the basketball world and the sports world as a whole on Sunday. When the tragic news broke, reactions poured in from a number of prominent figures from around basketball. NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding the death of Bryant and his daughter on Sunday afternoon, and he expressed gratitude for the work the NBA legend did both on and off the basketball court.
“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals. But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”
The ramifications of Bryant’s passing will continue to be felt in the days, months, and years to come.