TUNA MASCOT CELEBRATES 60TH BIRTHDAY

Tuna mascot celebrates 60^th birthday. Legendary StarKist^® mascot Charlie^® the Tuna has been winning over consumers with his good taste for 60 years. The brand is commemorating the occasion with a celebration that features a special underwater-themed cake, shout-outs from some of Charlie’s favourite friends, and interactive social media opportunities for fans.

“StarKist is proud to celebrate Charlie’s 60th birthday and he is truly an icon,” said Andrew Choe, StarKist President and CEO. “The fact that he appeals to audiences as much today as he did sixty years ago is really a testament to his timeless charm. We are proud to have him represent the StarKist business and look forward to seeing what Charlie has in store for us in the future.”

Creator Tom Rogers of the Leo Burnett agency developed the fin-tastic character in 1961. Through StarKist’s popular television commercials, Charlie quickly rose to stardom and the catchphrase “Sorry Charlie^®” was adopted into the American pop culture lexicon. The memorable tagline was even honoured with its own holiday; National Sorry Charlie Day is observed annually on April 6.

Throughout his sixty years, Charlie has received numerous accolades confirming his status as one of the advertising industry’s most illustrious characters. In 2020, Charlie won Advertising Week’s Madison Avenue Walk of Fame, and he was previously recognised by Advertising Week as one of the core group of mascots when the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame was inaugurated in 2004. In 2019, Charlie was welcomed into the Funko family’s elite group of pop culture ad icons with his very own Funko POP! Figurine.

Buddy Valastro, aka Mr. Cake Boss himself, did the honours of designing Charlie’s celebratory birthday cake. Charlie headed to Carlo’s Bakery headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey, where Mr. Valastro personally presented him with the impressive custom four-tier masterpiece cake. The sugary confection was festooned with cartoon-style seashells, coral reefs and aquatic plants – all a nod to Charlie’s home turf, the ocean.

“Charlie the Tuna is such a beloved character,” said Mr. Valastro. “So it was great fun and an honour to create the cake for Charlie’s big day. Happy birthday to the coolest spokesfish there is. Sixty looks great on you!”

Follow Charlie on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter at @starkistcharlie or visit www.StarKist.com to learn more about his story.

About StarKist Co.

StarKist Co. provides trusted, healthy, food products in the United States. An industry innovator, StarKist was the first brand to introduce single-serve pouch products, which include Tuna Creations^®, Salmon Creations^® and Chicken Creations^®.  As America’s favourite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist’s charismatic brand icon, Charlie^® the Tuna, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favourite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.