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Bumble Bee Tuna Package Redesign Retires Mascot, Focuses on Flavor

Bumble Bee Tuna’s iconic brand got a modern design update last month. Notably, the longstanding cartoon bumble bee mascot, Horatio, is no longer part of the design architecture.

Now the packs use an abrupt, well-delineated break from the white at the top to the color at the bottom with no gradient, just the two contrasting colors.
Now the packs use an abrupt, well-delineated break from the white at the top to the color at the bottom with no gradient, just the two contrasting colors.

With new packaging that has been recognized by Graphic Design USA as a winner in the 2020 American Package Design Awards, Bumble Bee Tuna opted for a modern look with clean lines and an increased focus on flavor. 

But stealing the headlines, Horatio, the familiar cartoon character on Bumble Bee Tuna cans and pouches, is no longer part of the design architecture. Fortunately, it was less of a politically motivated decision than other recent retirements, like Land O' Lakes dropping the "butter maiden" or Animal Crackers "freeing the beasts" by removing the cage bars. 

“We retired Horatio after many years of serving us well,” says Renee Junge, Vice President, Corporate Brand Strategy and Communication, The BumbleBee Seafood Company. “Our main goal in retiring Horatio was to allow the benefits of the product to shine a bit more. We serve one of the most nutrient-rich products on this planet and we wanted to be able to tell that story without being distracted by our adorable, now retired, mascot.”

The packs, whether in the flexible pouch or traditional canned tuna format, are materially and structurally nearly identical to the incumbent container formats. However, on the pouch, the company now employs a rectangular design instead of the previous dome-shaped, rounded top.

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