Planters pulls online Super Bowl ad following Kobe Bryant's death

Planters has pulled its online Super Bowl teaser campaign that centres around the death of its beloved mascot Mr. Peanut, after retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday.

"We are saddened by this weekend’s news and Planters has paused all campaign activities, including paid media, and will evaluate next steps through a lens of sensitivity to those impacted by this tragedy," the Kraft Heinz brand said in a statement Monday.

(AdAge was the first to report the brand's pre-Super Bowl advertising had been placed on hold.)

Planters teased its Super Bowl commercial on Jan. 21 in a 30-second video that showed Mr. Peanut sacrificing his own life to save actors Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh.

It's unclear how the brand will proceed with its marketing efforts leading up to the game, which is less than a week away. The company, however, will still air its third-quarter Super Bowl ad that depicts Mr. Peanut's funeral.

U.S. network Fox is broadcasting this year's Super Bowl on Feb. 2 and charging US$5.6 million for 30-seconds of ad time, according to AdAge.