Overview/Introduction to Snoopy

Overview

PEANUTS adds an approachable quality, and help differentiate MetLife from our competitors.

As MetLife develops into a global insurance leader, it becomes increasingly important to project a consistent image, and Snoopy and his friends have agreed to help us do just that. Late in 2006, we signed an international agreement—the first ever for MetLife—with Snoopy’s “agent,” Peanuts Worldwide. This agreement, in combination with our North American contract, gives us exclusive worldwide rights in the financial services category to use the PEANUTS characters to promote MetLife.

Although it is not required that all MetLife-branded entities use Snoopy, his presence does send a clear and valuable message. He can be appropriate for a wide range of communications, and we urge that you carefully consider including him in your materials.

MetLife & Snoopy: Our History Together

When the first MetLife ads featuring the PEANUTS characters ran on prime-time TV in 1985, they were recognized as revolutionary. Here was an insurance company—one of those staid, formal, unapproachable institutions—aligning itself with cartoon characters.

Very special cartoon characters, whose warmth, charm, and loyalty translate across countries, cultures, and generations. Created and drawn by Charles Schulz, the PEANUTS characters debuted in seven newspapers in 1950. By 1984, PEANUTS was the world’s most syndicated comic strip ever, appearing in more than 2,000 papers, and it keeps growing. Today, the strip appears in some 2,400 papers globally.

The 1985 campaign, which introduced the tag “Get Met. It Pays,” was our most ambitious consumer advertising ever, and it worked. Since then, our relationship with these characters has evolved through a series of campaigns that have helped establish MetLife as a company based on trustworthiness, approachability, and the ability to deliver on its promises.

Snoopy’s special qualities—is there a cartoon character who’s warmer, more charming, more loyal?—made him the perfect choice to represent MetLife as we moved to humanize our company in the eyes of consumers. As an iconic figure, Snoopy plays a positive role in differentiating the MetLife brand in the financial services marketplace, and he will continue to play an important role in our global efforts.

Get Met. It Pays.	have you met life today?
Guarantees for the if in life.	Guarantees for the if in life.

Click to enlarge images. 

Summary of Rights

MetLife has successfully secured exclusive rights to use Snoopy and other PEANUTS characters for promotions in the financial services category on a global basis. These rights are derived from two contracts, one for North America and one for international markets.

MetLife has successfully secured exclusive rights to use Snoopy and other PEANUTS characters for promotions in the financial services category on a global basis. These rights are derived from two contracts, one for North America and one for all markets worldwide.

• We have the exclusive right to use Snoopy and PEANUTS characters in the financial services category, including credit and debit cards.
• MetLife’s use of Snoopy and PEANUTS characters carries no media royalties.
• The Snoopy Premium Program delivers an easy way to source a wide variety of quality premium items worldwide. We have expanded our capability to conduct co-branded marketing with all MetLife companies, joint ventures, and distributors—worldwide.
• Both agreements will terminate at the same time, in 2014.

Using Snoopy and the other PEANUTS characters does require permission. You will find the approval processes in the section entitled “Approvals.”