The world is about to see a whole lot more of StarKist’s 65-year-old mascot, the bespectacled, beret-wearing Charlie the Tuna.  Tombras is coming on board as the brand’s agency of record, with a key objective to insert Charlie into the cultural conversation “unusual” ways on social media, said Tombras president Dooley Tombras. “There's a debate in the industry now about whether brand mascots are still a thing. I would argue that if you use them effectively, they're more powerful than ever,” he said, pointing to successful approaches like Duolingo's Duo the Owl.  While many companies have made headlines for downplaying or removing their mascots—the latest being Bob’s Red Mill—StarKist’s Charlie the Tuna is an identifier it wants to lean into, Michael Merritt, vp and head of marketing and innovation, told ADWEEK. Over the years, StarKist has modernized its mascot, most notably slimming him down in 1999. Merritt said he considers this the first major overhaul since his arrival at the company in 2024. But Tombras’ work will be a “refresh” rather than a total rebrand, he said. The social-first approach also aligns with StarKist's media budget, Tombras said. “StarKist isn't a brand that's played in culture much, so I think that's going to be one of the big opportunities here that's going to help us punch above our weight,” he said. In a culture of “proteinmaxxing,” Merritt believes StarKist is well-positioned to meet the moment. Together, StarKist and Tombras will be heavily promoting the company's portable tuna pouches, a sector Merritt called “lean protein.”  Currently, StarKist is one of the main sellers of canned tuna in the U.S., having also cornered 75% market share in the pouch sector, Merritt said. The goal is to not only expand that number, but grow its audience among Gen Z and younger generations. At Tombras, StarKist joins a portfolio of other CPG clients including RXBAR, Sweethearts, and MoonPie. When StarKist embarked on finding a new agency a year ago, it wasn't looking for an integrated partner, Merritt said. Part of what helped StarKist land on Tombras during the pitch was its data-driven approach to creative work. “This is really about setting up a 100-year-old iconic brand for the next generation of growth," Merritt said.