The National Peanut Board is giving one of America’s most familiar foods a full-scale brand rethink. With the launch of its new national platform, “It’s Not Nuts. It’s Peanuts.,” the organization is attempting to reposition peanuts not simply as a pantry staple, but as a modern, sustainable, protein-packed American-grown superfood with a story younger consumers may not fully know.
And honestly, the campaign’s biggest twist might be the fact that peanuts technically aren’t nuts at all.
Created alongside Special U.S., the new platform unifies U.S. peanut farmers, manufacturers, and brands under a single national identity for the first time. The campaign leans into the crop’s surprisingly strong credentials: more protein than any nut, the smallest carbon footprint in the category, and deep roots in American agriculture. Watch below:
But the real standout is the campaign craft itself.
Award-winning stop-motion director Anthony Farquhar-Smith of Not to Scale directed a series of handcrafted miniature vignettes using 781 custom-built figurines and real peanut products to tell the story. Farquhar-Smith, known for work on films like Corpse Bride and Fantastic Mr. Fox, brings a quirky cinematic warmth that makes the spots feel more like indie animation than agricultural marketing.
“There’s so much soul in the peanut industry,” said Ryan Lepicier, President and CEO of the National Peanut Board. “We’re turning what some might see as only a commodity into a brand that honors the passion of our industry while leading us into a bright future.”
Visually, the rebrand introduces a new peanut-shaped logo and a vibrant “bright harvest” color palette designed to create a recognizable signal for American-grown peanuts across media, retail, and eventually packaging.
“Our vision for this brand is to elevate peanuts in the hearts and minds of the next generation,” said Dena Malsom, Chief Marketing Officer of the National Peanut Board. “Peanuts have a compelling, unexpected story that we’re spotlighting with this campaign.”
The effort also expands into sports culture through a partnership with athlete Jeremiyah Love, positioning peanuts as a practical performance fuel embraced by a new generation of athletes.
Beyond the marketing, the campaign reflects a larger push to modernize how commodity food categories speak to consumers in an era increasingly driven by wellness, sustainability, and identity.
Because apparently, peanuts are done being the quiet kid in the snack aisle.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
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