• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, Yesterday

StarKist Tuna has reinvented Charlie the Tuna, who first appeared in ads in 1961 as an out-of-luck pitchman, constantly trying to sell the marketing department on his good ideas. And between America’s current protein craze and younger consumers' inexplicable nostalgia, the friendly fish is resonating, driving greater market share and brand awareness for the brand, owned by Dongwon Industries Co., a Korean company. Michael Merritt Jr., head of marketing, tells Marketing Daily about the strategy behind "The First Name in Tuna" campaign.

Marketing Daily: This campaign's been swimming for a few months now. How’s it going?

Michael Merritt Jr.: Great. We launched at the end of January and just rolled out our third spot. The feedback has been tremendous -- from consumers, retailers, and the trade. Charlie’s been around since 1961, and bringing him back in a modern, digital-first way has been incredibly exciting.

Marketing Daily: What made now the right time to bring Charlie back?

Merritt Jr.: Charlie never really left. But we hadn’t used "Sorry Charlie" in advertising for over a decade. We saw an opportunity to introduce him to younger consumers while tapping into nostalgia for our longtime fans. Charlie has always had this resilient, witty personality. Now, he’s pitching ideas to StarKist execs -- and still getting told, "Sorry, Charlie."

Marketing Daily: In the original campaign, "Sorry, Charlie" meant the tuna didn’t make the cut -- he wasn’t tasty enough to eat. Was there any hesitation about revisiting that idea in today’s world?

Merritt Jr.: Definitely. The original ads were about Charlie not being good enough for StarKist. That wouldn’t work now. So, we flipped the dynamic. Charlie's pitching clever ideas to promote the brand, but we respond with, "Sorry, Charlie -- we're already doing all that." It's a fun way to show we’re ahead of the game.

Marketing Daily: This campaign has a lot of Gen Z energy. But they weren’t even alive when Charlie was famous. Do they recognize him?

Merritt Jr.: Some do, some don’t. But that’s the opportunity. In our research, even younger consumers identified him. And we know nostalgia plays well across generations. You see it everywhere -- kids are walking around wearing Polaroid shirts. Do they even know what that is?

We wanted to reintroduce Charlie with current pop-culture relevance: dating shows, AI assistants, and drone deliveries. We’re staying true to his character, but in a way that feels fresh.

Marketing Daily: Tuna’s having a moment, especially with the protein trend. How much is that helping?

Merritt Jr.: Big time. Consumers want high-protein, low-calorie, shelf-stable options. Tuna hits all of that. It’s also incredibly versatile. And now there’s a tinned fish movement -- more specialty, flavor-forward products. Our EVO line, for example, with extra virgin olive oil and bolder flavors like red pepper, is resonating.

Marketing Daily: You sell both cans and pouches. Is there a difference in how you market them?

Merritt Jr.: Yes. Cans skew older, often driven by nostalgia. That’s the tuna salad people grew up with. Pouches are more convenient and more flavor-forward. They attract younger consumers who want bold flavors like Sriracha or Bacon Ranch. The pouches are snackable, portable, and perfect for busy lifestyles.

Marketing Daily: You're using Charlie to connect with Gen Z and millennials. What convinced stakeholders to go back to a 60-year-old mascot?

Merritt Jr.: That was a real conversation. Every brand has to balance appealing to loyal customers and attracting new ones. Charlie is our biggest brand asset. The campaign lets us leverage that nostalgia while staying relevant. Share growth has been strong in the first quarter. It’s hard to isolate any one factor, but we believe this campaign is a big reason.

Marketing Daily: Bumble Bee also recently brought back a retro jingle. What did you think of that? And how do you compare?

Merritt Jr.: I’ve seen their spots. We have a healthy respect for them. Unsurprisingly, others in the category are trying to navigate the same waters, balancing legacy and innovation. But we’re the market leader, and they’re trying to catch up. From our standpoint, we’ve seen strong share growth, and we believe our campaign is playing a big role.

Marketing Daily: What else is driving the lift?

Merritt Jr.: We’re running this campaign across connected TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime, paid social, and influencers. It’s our big message -- top-of-the-funnel awareness. But we’re also pushing all the way down through the funnel with promotions, shopper marketing, and other tactics to drive conversion.

Marketing Daily: What agency are you working with?

Merritt Jr.: Quench. They’ve been a longtime partner. We collaborated closely to get this right: a campaign that honors Charlie’s legacy, but speaks to today’s consumer.

Marketing Daily: Anything you want to add?

Merritt Jr.: That this is a fun brand to work on. We have a great product -- delicious, healthy, convenient protein, and the trends are going our way now. I’ve worked on plenty of brands where that hasn’t been the case. And we’re telling our story in a bold new way. That’s exciting.