Snack company Planters has been making headlines for killing off its long-time mascot, Mr Peanut, and replacing him with a new baby version. Baby Nut is the newest Baby character to go viral on the internet, and he was 'born' in an advert revealed at yesterday's Super Bowl (see below). When the Kool-Aid man sheds a tear at Mr Peanut's funeral, that tear lands on a mound of dirt that sprouts into a plant, and Baby Nut is born.
There's already plenty of talk online about whether Baby Nut is cuter than Baby Yoda (he isn't), but as far the rest of the campaign goes, we've got more questions than we have answers. Seeing as we've already had Baby Yoda, Baby Thanos and Baby Sonic, will consumers become wise to this Baby craze? Or is an association between cuteness and a brand a clever marketing move that will keep paying off? Should we be adding a section on Baby characters to our character design tips piece? And will there ever be a female Baby character, or is this trope reserved for male characters only?
