By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon
Advertising’s introduction to the Jet-Puffed marshmallow mascots occurred five years ago in August 2020.
Back then, they made their debut as the JET-PUFFED Pals with VaynerMedia and Jones Knowles Ritchie credited for their refreshed design. The JET-PUFFED Pals didn’t have names or personalities, exactly, but one could differentiate them based on their sizes. There were Pals in mini, regular, and jumbo marshmallow sizes.
And every marshmallow shared the same dream. Whether they were being dunked in a steaming hot cup of cocoa or singed over a flame before being wedged in between graham crackers, they all wanted to be your next snack.
Cut to 2026. The Jet-Puffed marshmallows (it appears “Pals” has been dropped over time) are back on our radar with fully fluffed-out personalities. The new “Love ‘Em to Death” ad from Kraft Heinz and GUT Miami introduces audiences to eight grinning confections and all the ways they’re willing to die to satisfy your cravings.
Let’s meet the characters and rate their endings on a scale of 1 (the most predictable) to 10 (we didn’t see it coming). And before you feel repulsed, remember dying is a compliment to marshmallow mascots. The alternative is growing old and stale in the pantry and that does not a good ad campaign make.
Chip
Marshmallow demise rating: 2
Chip is the first mascot out of the Jet-Puffed bag. A human takes a bite out of Chip and as far as marshmallow deaths go, it’s pretty harmless. Chip was fated for basic snacking between meals.
Slash
Marshmallow demise rating: 3
Next up is Slash who gets sliced in half. One must consider there’s probably a good reason to cut up a big marshmallow. Maybe Slash is going into a recipe or the unseen person with the knife is cutting up marshmallows for the kids to avoid choking.
Pierce
Marshmallow demise rating: 5
Here’s where we start seeing the Jet-Puffed marshmallows embrace their final resting places. Pierce slides down a bamboo skewer over a hot campfire flame. The fire is hot enough to melt the marshmallow fluff and turn it slightly golden brown. Pierce is on the way to becoming a classic treat, so we’re giving it a 5 rating because s’mores are iconic.
Caramella
Marshmallow demise rating: 8
Caramella might be going out covered in layers of hot caramel, but at least it looks cute. The caramel drippings fall in such a way it resembles a fun hairdo, allowing the marshmallow to live out any hair salon dreams it might have been harboring.
Burnie
Marshmallow demise rating: 6
We would have bumped Burnie up a few more points if not for the fact that the flames licking this marshmallow could potentially render the mascot inedible. As spectacular as it is to behold, that’s a lot of fire for Burnie. How crisp is this person frying their marshmallow?!
Marc
Marshmallow demise rating: 5
We’re back to the campfire scene with Marc, who has a healthy tan base color and a red-hot poker hovering nearby. What drops the rating down is we kind of saw this already with Pierce though. A more satisfying vignette would show Marc getting squeezed tightly in between graham crackers and chocolate with marshmallow oozing from every side.
Melton
Marshmallow demise rating: 10
We only get in a few seconds of Melton, and each one is delightful. This is the only Jet-Puffed mascot we see fully melting and loving every moment in a frying pan over a gas burner. All the crisped rice in the pan indicates Melton’s final form is a seriously yummy treat, too. 10/10, no notes.
Duncan
Marshmallow demise rating: 6
From the grin on Duncan’s face, you can tell this mascot’s biggest dream was to be submerged in a piping hot mug of cocoa. A predictable enough ending for any marshmallow.
Image Credits: Jet-Puffed and Kraft Heinz
About the Author
Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.
