Kraft Foods' Planters Advertising Campaign Upgrades Mr. Peanut, Tries “New Retro” Approach

Kraft Foods is launching a $30-35 million advertising campaign for its Planters brand. As part of the campaign, and before moving onto to TV and cinema, Kraft will preview on Facebook a television commercial that features actor Robert Downey Jr. as the voice for Mr. Peanut, Planters’ mascot since 1916. The commercial will highlight a revised look for Mr. Peanut that will try to preserve the character’s traditional looks without being perceived as old fashioned. Playing to nostalgic imagery is proving popular: McDonald’s, Pepsi-Cola, and General Mills have all revived classic ad mascots and Mintel believes that “new retro” will be a defining consumer marketing trend in 2011.