The Super Bowl commercials are coming in thick and fast already - and are darker than ever this year, it would seem, with one even killing off Mr Peanut, the fictional mascot of American snack food company Planters.
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In the Planters 'Road Trip' ad, the beloved anthropomorphic peanut is out road-tripping with actors Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh when the Nutmobile goes flying off a cliff, leaving the trio hanging for dear life.
Brave old Mr Peanut decides to play the hero and sacrifices himself, in turn saving the Hollywood stars from plummeting to their death.
I know, pretty brutal isn't it? But it's arguably also very clever, as fans are already mourning the loss of the all-American icon.
The official Mr Peanut Twitter paid respect to its late mascot, announcing that he had died at the age of 104.
"It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that Mr. Peanut has died at 104," the post said.
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"In the ultimate selfless act, he sacrificed himself to save his friends when they needed him most. Please pay your respects with #RIPeanut."
We'll never look at a monocle in the same way again.
Samantha Hess, Planters' brand manager at Kraft Heinz, also said in a statement: "He will be remembered as the legume who always brought people together for nutty adventures and a good time."
Teasing that the stunt had something to do with the Super Bowl on 2 February, she added: "We encourage fans to tune in to Mr. Peanut's funeral during the third quarter of the Super Bowl to celebrate his life."
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The tributes came in thick and fast on Twitter - even Snickers and, er, Pornhub got involved. Well, kind of.
One person wrote: "Good night sweet prince."
Another added: "Roast in peace."
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Praising the ad, someone else commented: "This is honestly the weirdest social media marketing gimmick yet and I am in love with the digital strategist who came up with it. You're a weirdo superstar, whoever you are."
Featured Image Credit: Planters
Topics: Food, News, US News, super bowl
