Internet users have been left feeling unnerved after Nerf unveiled its official mascot, Murph.
Old or young, many of us have had fun firing at our friends and maybe even our enemies with the soft foam ammunition inside brightly coloured Nerf guns.
Some are more equipped than others, with multiple rounds ready to fire in seconds, while others have to run around trying to pick up the foam darts and reinserting them into the guns before taking aim once again.
Either way it's great fun, and now Nerf has attempted to bring even more entertainment to the brand with the help of Murph, a blue and orange furry-looking creature who is actually made entirely out of the recognisable darts.
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The company unveiled its mascot this week, with Adam Kleinman of Nerf saying: "We wanted to introduce a mascot that represents this ageless, unbridled fun that lives in all of us and creates a physical embodiment of that feeling you get when you play with Nerf."
Murph was described by Kleinman as a playful spirit and gifted athlete, with the marketing push around the new mascot based on internal research that revealed that parents' desire to create moments of active play they experienced when they were young with their own children.
“Nerf recognises that while screens are great, there remains a need for kids, and their parents, to get out, get active and make memories,” Kleinman said.
An image of Murph holding a Nerf gun and looking prepared to strike has been shared online, and though there are a lot of good intentions behind Murph, the character has left a few people questioning the look.
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One person commented: "He looks like he’ll scare kids," while another simply wrote: "Well that's f***ing terrifying what the f**k."
A third tweeted: "well this is horrifying beyond belief."
Other Twitter users drew attention to Murph's figure and stealthy pose, with one writing: "That’s a thicc murph right there…"
While Murph might not be for everyone, people won't be able to avoid seeing them around as the character is scheduled to begin appearing in adverts, retail outlets and across Nerf’s social media channels later this month. It comes as part of a new multi-year marketing campaign, titled 'Unleash the Play in You', which has been created in partnership with The Martin Agency.
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Murph has not been described as having a specific sex or gender, but the company explained the mascot uses they, them and their pronouns.
Emily Brown