You’re a Good Brand, Charlie Brown

In my office I have an original Charles M. Schultz marker—signed by Schultz himself. It’s a simple drawing of Charlie Brown on the pitcher’s mound conferring with Lucy and Schroeder. Likely, Charlie Brown was about to deliver a pitch that would get his wardrobe blasted off of his body, as it always was.

I found the drawing in a gallery in Soho and it’s special because it reminds me a lot of my childhood and reading the funny papers on Sunday’s. Peanuts was my favorite comic strip: I related a little too well with Charlie Brown and loved Snoopy. In fact, we had beagles and one of them was named Snoopy. That was several decades ago and after many TV specials, music DVDs, books and an unlimited amount of merchandise sales, Peanuts and its characters have a strong place in the hearts and minds of almost anyone you’d meet around the world.

The power of the Peanuts brand was further demonstrated this week when the brand franchise and rights we’re purchased for $175 million by the Iconix Brand Group and—oddly enough, the Schultz family, (who have regained a 20% stake.)

There is a great article in Ad Age this week, “It‘s a Great Franchise, Charlie Brown,” on the brand franchise and it only further illustrates—no pun intended—the power and longevity a brand can capture if properly nurtured and managed. It’s likely that very few of today’s kids will have a strong affection for Charlie Brown and company—short of watching the “Charlie Brown Christmas” or “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” at the behest of their parents. They’ve become attached to something as god-awful as SpongeBob SquarePants. But for millions, the Peanuts brand, its characters that everyone seems to be able to relate to in some way remain an enduring and relevant part of American pop culture.

Even Metropolitan Life saw the value of associating themselves with the Peanuts brand. By virtue of their Met Life brand association with Snoopy and the other characters, the big bad insurance company looks a little more caring, approachable and human as a result. A lot to be said when were talking about insurance companies. Every insurance company out there has their icons:

• Traveler’s has their red umbrella—I happen to love their campaign

• Pacific Life, who have offices right outside my window—have their whales. A huge Wyland whale is directly out in front of their building and I am the beneficiary of their investment

• The Hartford using a large stag

• The Prudential has what might be one of the best recognized and most iconic of all—the rock, which they have used for decades to exemplify the “Rock Solid” financial standing of their company (I worked on that account, too!)

Each of these brands has carefully crafted and build a brand image supported by an icon to give them a presence, a way to remember and a quick imagery that will make consumers feel better about using their services.

Good brands stand the test of time and changes in pop culture. It’s nice to see that a great brand franchise has done that and the care and feeding of this American icon has paid off handsomely.