In the grand scheme of things a minor event, but Snoopy and the Peanuts gang have been a part of MetLife for so long it struck me as worth sharing.
ZitatU.S. insurance giant MetLife is waving goodbye to Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, ending a more than three-decade branding relationship.
New York-based MetLife (MET) said Thursday it's launching a new global brand platform and there won't be room for the world-famous cartoon characters as the company moves forward with plans to spin off most of its U.S. life insurance business next year.
"We brought in Snoopy over 30 years ago to make our company more friendly and approachable during a time when insurance companies were seen as cold and distant. Snoopy helped drive our business and served an important role at the time," Esther Lee, MetLife's global chief marketing officer said in an official statement about the decision.
"We have great respect for these iconic characters," Lee said about Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang. "However, as we focus on our future, it's important that we associate our brand directly with the work we do and the partnership we have with our customers."
The company's new visual brand will feature blue and green colors together "in a symbol of partnership to form an M for MetLife," the insurance giant said. The new image will be rolled out globally through 2017, the company said.