Meet Murph: Nerf mascot and nightmare generator
After years without one, Nerf has officially unveiled its first mascot – and fans are immediately terrified at the company’s brand new human-sized, dart-covered creation.
Launching in 1969, the company – now owned by toy manufacturers Hasbro – has long been happily mascot-less – but not any more. Earlier this week, Nerf unveiled the new face of their soft-play focused organisation – an anthropomorphic creature named Murph that’s covered entirely in the company’s signature colourful darts and wearing only an orange Nerf vest and a pair of orange Nerf slip-ons.
While the company declined to comment on the mascot’s gender, they did state that it uses the they/them pronouns, before stating that they wanted to design an icon that “represents this ageless, unbridled fun that lives in all of us” and create “a physical embodiment of that feeling you get when you play with Nerf.”
According to AdWeek, Adam Kleinman, SVP and General Manager of Nerf at parent company Hasbro explained that Murph will soon become part of the company’s new advertising campaign titled “Unleash the Play in You” – so prepare to see more of them soon.
In the meantime however, fans on social media were quick to react to this odd-looking Nerf creature – with many apparently wary of it haunting their dreams forever.
https://twitter.com/EvilMortyD69/status/1538534488808034304?s=20&t=jLbIg9BNLUlWRY_3K5KxHA
My therapist: Murph the Nerf mascot isn’t real and he can’t hurt you.
Murph: pic.twitter.com/4P5PF1q1qn
— Nerd It Here First (@nerditherefirst) June 19, 2022
Total Candle Cove vibes from Nerf’s mascot https://t.co/ydJKooHcZH pic.twitter.com/JjsioStoCZ
— Joshua the Goblin King (@GoblinKingJosh) June 19, 2022
Many were struck by how creepy the character looks, especially for something that’s primarily aimed at kids.
Hasbro has just introduced, and this is not a joke, their new nightmarish mascot for NERF brand products named "Murph."
Murph's terrifying catchphrase is "unleash the play in you."
Here is Murph: pic.twitter.com/THZYb02sKY
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) June 17, 2022
https://twitter.com/NRobert70175483/status/1538422564925710340?s=20&t=jLbIg9BNLUlWRY_3K5KxHA
NERF has introduced their new mascot, “Murph,” a big weird featureless terrifying gun-toting bigfoot thing made of foam darts who yearns to “unleash the play in you.” Murph is a fuckin nightmare and I love him, thank you NERF Brand for this floppy affront to God. https://t.co/CehbV4lZry pic.twitter.com/XYjOKykkNu
— @rob-sheridan.com on BSky (@rob_sheridan) June 17, 2022
Meanwhile, others on social media made comparisons to Gritty, the equally terrifying, dead-eyed mascot for hockey team the Philadelphia Flyers which did the rounds for similar reasons following its initial debut a few years back.
https://twitter.com/AnghusH/status/1538265519731658752?s=20&t=jLbIg9BNLUlWRY_3K5KxHA
Some thoughts on Murph.
Pretty sure they’re related to Gritty
Muprh’s size & use of nerf weapons indicate he’s probably a predator animal
Murph has no eyes therefore Murph hunts their prey by using echolocation. https://t.co/wTwFXr0lgO
— Avery Gravery King of the Elves (@stardust1374) June 19, 2022
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