In what could become a case study in the perils of Super Bowl marketing stunts, Planters teased its Super Bowl ad nearly two weeks before the game, releasing a teaser for its Super Bowl ad that showed its Mr. Peanut mascot seemingly being killed.
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The "death" of Mr. Peanut went viral on Twitter. But when Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash, the marketing stunt suddenly seemed insensitive, so Planters paused its pre-game advertising.
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The actual Super Bowl ad was relatively inoffensive, with a baby Mr. Peanut appearing at the funeral, but the pregame stunt is likely what people will remember.
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