Somebody at Duke’s Mayo dropped the ball after 105 years. They deemed that they needed a mascot. You know, there are some companies that don’t need mascots. This might be one of them. I may be wrong here but a jar of mayo does not excite the masses. Maybe the guy who gets to wear the costume might like the money but beyond that, I am as clueless as a late August full of crickets. What is with the bushy eyebrows? I would not trust a guy with shifty eyes. I wonder how long it took for the ad agency to come up with this. Was McMann & Tate hired for this gem? I am thinking that Ronald McDonald is under that costume.
For the first time in its 105-year history, Duke’s Mayo has introduced Tubby, a mascot personifying Duke’s Twang! Adorned with shifty eyes and shaggy brows, the mascot’s physical appearance and saucy personality left Duke’s fans wondering what was happening when he took control of Duke’s brand channels last week to announce himself.
When it comes to the mascot’s personality, Duke’s fans learned, that the apple doesn’t fall far from the Twang tree. The mascot announced himself through a series of tweets, selfies, and interactions with cult-like fans beginning with, “HELLU WRLD.” Then, after getting a taste of his personality, fans were asked to come up with his name. “HEY TWEETER, I NEED A NAME. NOT LIKE A TWEETER NAME, LIKE A NAME NAME. LIKE THE KIND YOU PUT ON NAME TAGS. WHAT SHOULD IT BE????”
“Tubby, the mascot, is one more way Duke’s continues to shake up the condiment category and connect with its customers,” said Rebecca Lupesco, Duke’s Brand Manager of Mayohem. “We’re the rebels in an all too traditional category, and we’ve given ourselves permission to have some fun with this character who is passionate, curious, and a little unhinged.”
The mascot engaged with Duke’s fans, media personalities, celebs, and brands including, Dolly Parton, Taco Bell, and Krystal. The self-proclaimed single jar appeared to be on a mission to find himself a date, tweeting to @Wendy’s “HEYYYY WENDY. U FREE FRYDAY?” and “TELL WENDY 2 CALL. THIS JAR SINGLE.” Fans of Duke’s Mayo responded with unparalleled enthusiasm for Tubby posting comments such as “my new spirit animal,” and “never wanted to kiss a mascot before yet here we are.”
“Tubby is bold and not afraid to express himself,” said Lupesco. “He’s actually quite charming — I can’t wait to see what he does next. One thing is for sure — fans can expect to see Tubby at the Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte on September 3rd .”
The mascot is one more way Duke’s has been deepening its consumer engagement this year with a series of culturally relevant events including free tattoos, a regional restaurant week known as Hot Tomato Summer, and the House of Twang video series highlighting the behind-the-scenes of Southern kitchens.
Of interest: Famous Food Mascots: Pillsbury Doughboy