Business

Snoopy gets laid off after 217 (dog) years on the job

Associated Press
MetLife announced Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, that they will phase out its use of Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang as a brand after more than 30 years. MetLife will be rolling out the new brand globally through 2017.
MetLife announced Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, that they will phase out its use of Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang as a brand after more than 30 years. MetLife will be rolling out the new brand globally through 2017. Casey Christie AP

Snoopy has been handed the pink slip.

After 31 years (217 dog years) as the face of insurance giant MetLife Inc., the company said Thursday that it is launching a new global branding effort, marking the end of a long relationship with Charlie Brown’s beagle and the Peanuts crew.

“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,” said Esther Lee, MetLife’s global chief marketing officer. “Snoopy helped drive our business and served an important role at the time.”

But MetLife is spinning off its domestic retail life insurance business to focus more on corporate clients.

Snoopy does not appear to hold the same marketing swagger with corporate America.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Snoopy gets laid off after 217 (dog) years on the job."

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