Good Grief, MetLife! Snoopy Downed by Pink Slip and Not the Red Baron
The company is shifting its brand toward "a clean, modern aesthetic."
— -- MetLife just put Snoopy in the doghouse.
For over 30 years, Snoopy has been the face of MetLife Insurance, appearing on sales and marketing materials and even the company's blimps. Today the "Peanuts" character was given the pink slip.
The insurance company announced that it was ending its 31-year relationship with the beloved cartoon character in 2017, as it shifts its brand strategy toward "a clean, modern aesthetic."
"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," said Esther Lee, MetLife's global chief marketing officer, in a statement.
"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," Lee added.
The company said it wanted to bring "contemporary blue and green colors together in a symbol of partnership to form an M for MetLife" in its new branding.
Snoopy's exact age isn’t known, though he came onto the scene when his first cartoon was reportedly published in October of 1950. He was created by Charles Schulz.
ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed reporting.