Nerf debuts new mascot, internet immediately compares it to Gritty and the Phanatic
Yesterday, the popular toy brand Nerf unveiled their first-ever mascot, Murph.
I feel like any time there’s a new mascot, it’s immediately compared to the Flyers mascot Gritty and like clockwork, that’s exactly what happened yesterday all over social media.
After going viral upon it’s release, Gritty is now the gold standard for all other mascots that follow. Somewhat off topic, but Gritty is also the reason that the Flyers organization sucks so much, because they care more about Gritty than you know, actually bringing the city of Philadelphia a watchable hockey team.
Anyways, back to the Murph and Gritty comparison. There isn’t one.
Murph is a faceless anthropomorphic character made entirely out of foam darts and described as a “playful spirit and gifted athlete” that uses they, their, them as pronouns.
Side Note: I understand the whole pronoun thing but do we as a society really need to be assigning them to EVERYTHING?! This is a kids toy company that basically has a foam dart ghillie suit and we have to include that in the release? Seems a bit much, but anyways.
We even have people comparing this abomination to the Phillie Phanatic?
We can’t do this. I understand the fact that Philadelphia now has two of the most iconic mascots in the history of sports with the Phanatic and Gritty, but please for the love of god, leave us out of any comparisons to any other mascots.
It’s not funny, creative, or original and we’re simply not interested.
Regardless of how you feel about Gritty in relation to the Flyers organization, he’s still a classic muppet with big goggly eyes and gaping maw. He wouldn’t exactly be that out of place on some twisted version of Sesame Street if PBS had the bravery to allow Jim Henson to take as much acid as he wanted. That is exactly what a mascot is supposed to be.
I know Gritty. I’ve bought my children shirts with Gritty on them. Murph is no Gritty.
This is something out of “Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared.” I’ll link to an episode so you can hate me.
I really don’t appreciate Gritty and the Phanatic being compared to this kind of nightmare fuel.
Nerf’s new mascot Murph seems like a lame attempt to be weird.
Since the Gritty Gold Standard happened, every other company is trying to catch that viral sensation with failed attempts to be weird. They’re honestly just trying too hard. Nerf jammed a bunch of advertising and marketing people into a conference room and wanted to make something that would “drive engagement” on the internet and this is what we are left with.
Of course, you could say it worked since The Liberty Line is writing about it but that’s beyond the point.
Mandatory Credit: Nerf
