The world is about to see a complete lot extra of StarKist’s 65-year-old mascot, the bespectacled, beret-wearing Charlie the Tuna.
Tombras is approaching board because the model’s company of report, with a key goal to insert Charlie into the cultural dialog “unusual” methods on social media, mentioned Tombras president Dooley Tombras.
“There’s a debate in the industry now about whether brand mascots are still a thing. I would argue that if you use them effectively, they’re more powerful than ever,” he mentioned, pointing to profitable approaches like Duolingo’s Duo the Owl.
While many corporations have made headlines for downplaying or eradicating their mascots—the most recent being Bob’s Red Mill—StarKist’s Charlie the Tuna is an identifier it needs to lean into, Michael Merritt, vp and head of promoting and innovation, advised ADWEEK.