WILKES-BARRE, PA (WNEP) — If you found yourself scrolling through social media on Wednesday, you may have witnessed something heartbreakingly — nuts?
Mr. Peanut, the iconic Planters Peanuts brand mascot, appears to meet his end in a newly released Super Bowl commercial.
The news has really hit home for many, especially those in the city of Wilkes-Barre.
Is this goodbye to Mr. Peanut?
In a Super Bowl ad posted online, it appears that the iconically monocled mascot for Planters Peanuts gets killed at the end of it.
He falls; then, his famous NUTmobile explodes on the ground below.
So, we may have gotten a glimpse of how Mr. Peanut dies, but do you know where he was born?
“I think a lot of people are familiar with what was the distribution center and the corporate headquarters which was on South Main where the historical marker is,” said Mark Riccetti, Jr. with the Luzerne County Historical Society.
Riccetti says the 600 block of South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre is where you’ll find that marker where the original Planters Peanuts factory once stood after being founded here in 1906.
“Mr. Obici, he was an Italian immigrant came here when he was 10-years-old, started with literally nothing,” said Riccetti. “Founded the company, originally was going door to door.”
According to the historical society, Planters Peanuts had a store right next to where the Kirby Center is. And it was right there on Public Square, the company mastered the art of product placement.
“They would have a man dressed as Mr. Peanut, and he would walk around the square, and he would have these little sample bags and shake your hand and palm you a bag of peanuts,” said Riccetti. “If that didn’t get you to go in, well, nothing would.”
Dan Carey owns Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop; he worked at Planters back in the ’80s.
You might say his time there made him a little nuts, for Mr. Peanut, that is.
“What I like to call, ‘hidden Mr. Peanuts.’ They’re tucked away. There’s one above my right shoulder right now, top of my mirror,” Carey said, pointing at his impressive collection of Mr. Peanuts all over his shop.
“I actually make it a game for kids because I call them ‘hidden Mr. Peanuts.’ So, the hidden Mr. Peanuts are all around, and the kids can go looking for them,” said Carey. “There’s so many I don’t know where they all are anymore.”
So, now it seems the suspense won’t be waiting to see who wins the Super Bowl, but if Mr. Peanut survives it.
Planters also has several other promotions planned in addition to the Super Bowl spot. Fans who find Mr. Peanut’s Nutmobile leading up to and on game day will receive a pin celebrating his life. Fans can also honor the spokesnut by posting an image of a crying monocle and hashtagging their posts “RIPeanut.”
