The ad comes about six months after Hormel acquired the brand from Kraft Heinz for $3.35 billion. Hormel Foods officials have expressed ambitions to use the brand to complement its existing portfolio of packaged meats, penetrate new markets like convenience stores, and act as an anchor to a developing snacking business.
For now, the brand’s presence in holiday celebrations takes the spotlight. An associated contest offers consumers the chance to win a “Nutsalgia Box” of 80s-themed gifts—a colorful box containing retro Planters brand swag, classic board games, a Bluetooth cassette boombox and a classic movie on DVD.
The brand’s iconic spokesman, Mr. Peanut, has but a small presence in the campaign, appearing as a tree ornament and in décor. The monocled Mr. Peanut was one of the consumer packaged goods industry’s hardest-working figures in recent years, famously having been killed off in a much-discussed 2020 Super Bowl ad that was followed by a progression of spots charting his rebirth.
