Matt Walsh Tackles Nutty Assignment as Planters Returns to Super Bowl
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In Super Bowl LII, ad mascot Mr. Peanut scored a few points with a clever ad that featured baseball slugger Alex Rodriguez as well as actor Charlie Sheen. One year later, the anthropomorphic legume intends to gain new ground with another Super Bowl commercial that stars comic actor Matt Walsh.
A 30-second spot slated to air in the third quarter contains a “fun twist,” Walsh says in an interview. And when it comes to he rapport with the Madison Avenue celebrity, “the chemistry is off the chain,” says the actor, who is known for his potrayal of hapless aide Mike McLintock on the HBO series “Veep.” Fox will broadcast Super Bowl LIV from Miami Gardens in Florida on February 2.
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This will mark Mr. Peanut’s second appearance on the Super Bowl ad roster, part of a journey aimed at helping consumers understand they have many snacking options during the gridiron classic. In last year’s spot, Mr. Peanut rides through the streets in a special vehicle at breakneck speed, arriving just in time to keep Rodriguez from wolfing down a handful of kale chips.
“As one of the biggest snacking brands in America, we’re very excited to bring Mr. Peanut back to the Super Bowl to have some fun on one of the biggest snacking days of the year,” says Samantha Hess, brand manager for Planters at owner Kraft Heinz. at Kraft Heinz. “We’ve got some surprises in store along his journey, and can’t wait to show our fans what’s coming up on Super Bowl Sunday.”
The advertising team was “improv friendly,” Walsh says, who notes “there was definitely room to be playful.” Taking part in the commercial marks something of a full circle for Walsh, who earlier in his career found work doing commercials for such marketers as Tru Value Hardware and Diet Dr Pepper.
He’s not entirely sure what the final version of the ad looks like, and he has not seen a final cut. Walsh says he typically takes part in a big Super Bowl party with lots of friends and is excited that his mom will get to see him during the big broadcast. “I may be seeing it like the rest of the world.”
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