Ken Jeong and Joel McHale bicker over Planters nuts in regional Super Bowl ad

The ‘All or One’ commercial about how to eat mixed nuts marks Planters' biggest push under new ownership

Published On
Jan 24, 2022

Editor's Pick

Taking their rapid-fire bickering and insults from the “Community” set backstage, comedic actors Joel McHale and Ken Jeong argue over the right way to eat mixed nuts in a new Planters commercial set to run in select cities during the Super Bowl.

The 30-second ad will air shortly before halftime in 30 of the largest U.S. markets. Planters' new owner, Hormel Foods, opted for the regional media buy rather than going all in, as former parent Kraft Heinz had done in some recent Super Bowls. Most recently, Planters generated buzz in 2020 when the company killed off its Mr. Peanut character ahead of the Big Game. Then, following the death of Kobe Bryant and others in a helicopter crash, the brand muted its approach. Planters' 2020 Super Bowl ad featured the funeral and “rebirth” of iconic mascot, and he aged throughout the year in various ads. Planters sat out the 2021 game.

While not a national in-game buy, this year’s ad still marks the highest-profile Planters campaign since Hormel Foods bought the brand from Kraft Heinz last year for $3.3 billion. This year's ad, like the 2020 one, comes from VaynerMedia.

Jeong encounters McHale backstage and is offended by seeing him eat the nuts by the handful “like some intermittent fasting squirrel.” McHale responds by insulting Jeong’s “tiny hands,” remarking that a cashew “looks like a banana,” as he holds one.

A longer version of the ad will also run online. 


“When it comes to eating Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts, we noticed people go about eating them one of two ways, either all together or they pick them out one at a time,” Jaynee Dykes, senior brand manager for Planters, said in an email to Ad Age. “We also know that Americans are more than happy to pick sides, so we decided [to] have fun with it and bring to life the all-important, nutty debate of how to eat your Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts.

The decision to run the ad regionally reflected Planters’ desire to be “intentional” with its ad spending, Dykes said. “We chose to focus on the top DMAs as well as key markets with our retailers and consumers.” 

So while New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Miami, among other large metro areas, will witness the nutty debate, fans in San Diego, Denver and Seattle will not.

Dykes said the brand would drum up excitement for the “All or One” ad in the coming weeks but declined to disclose details.

Planters previously used the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl to attract attention to its campaign and remind consumers to stock up for game time snacking.

Hormel, home to brands like Jennie-O, Spam and Skippy, acquired Planters with intentions to make it a foundation for a growing snack business, and a complement to other brands in its portfolio that could better penetrate channels like convenience stores. In a recent interview on Ad Age’s Marketer's Brief podcast, Rafik Lawendy, who heads the Planters brand for Hormel and previously was with Kraft Heinz, described nuts as a “great food for the future,” given consumers’ greater propensity for snacking, and health and diet trends favoring high-protein foods. “They have all of the consumer and growth trends coming their way.”

Along with VaynerMedia on creative, PHD handles media and ICF Next is Planters' PR agency.

See which brands are buying ads in Super Bowl 2022.

Credits

Date
Jan 24, 2022
Client :
Planters
Agency :
VaynerMedia
Chief Creative Officer :
Rob Lenois
Executive Vice President :
Nick Miaritis
Executive Creative Director :
Mike Pierantozzi
Creative Director :
Jackie Blaze
Creative Director :
Katherine O'Brien
Associate Creative Director :
Molly Johnson
Associate Creative Director :
Evan Elberson
Copywriter :
Liz Vargas
Creator :
Peter Pappalardo
Designer :
Danielle Waterman
Designer :
Anett Castro
Director of Business Affairs :
Jaymie Lipman
Agency Executive Producer :
Peter Ostella
VP Group Account Director :
Ryan Martin
Account Supervisor :
Morgan Mills
Account Executive :
Amanda Cummins
Project Manager :
Olivia Long
Senior Vice President Strategy :
Jodi Coppernoll
Senior Strategist :
Alyssa Ritchie
EVP Media :
John Terrana
Associate Director Media :
Olivia Greendyk
Senior Analyst Media :
Angelina Yang
Analyst Media :
Rhea Gupta
Analyst Media :
Max Tanau
Director of Business Affairs :
Jaymie Lipman
Marketing Director Snack Nuts :
Rafik Lawendy
Sr. Brand Manager :
Jaynee Dykes
Brand Manager :
Zeeshan Tarique
Production :
Moxie Pictures
Director :
Martin Granger
VP / Executive Producer :
Karol Zeno
Head of Production :
Jodi Fisher
Producer :
Heidi Soltesz
Director of Photography :
Barry Peterson
Production Designer :
Zach Mathews
Cost Consultant :
MRA
Production Designer :
Doug Bergher
Editorial :
Eva Nosidam
Chief Production Officer :
Maya Brewster-Dorian
Executive Producer :
Laura Shea
Senior Producer :
Naina Pomerantz
Senior Editor :
Jeremiah Shuff
Lead Assistant Editor :
Haley Insley
Audio Engineer :
Eric Thompson
VFX & COLOR :
Nice Shoes
Head of Production :
Jason G. Farber
Senior Producer :
Keith McCabe
Colorist/Partner :
Chris Ryan
Senior VFX Artist :
Jason Farber
Senior VFX Artist :
Tyler Whalen
Flame Assist :
Arthur Dorrington
Flame Assist :
Shannon Lee
Color Assist :
Jose Font
VFX Supervisor :
Gavin Miljkovich
PR :
ICF Next
Partner :
Jeremy Mullman
Senior Director Media Relations :
Rachel Cooper
Account Director :
Michael Cowen
Account Director :
Erica Sharon
Account Director :
Alyssa Ahern
Senior Account Executive :
Jenna Reimler
Associate Account Executive :
Alex Mena
Associate Account Executive :
Catherine Puppe

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