NERF Unveils First & Only Mascot And They’re Getting On People’s… Nerfves?
Image via Hasbro
All the missing NERF darts of the world have seemingly gathered, gained consciousness, and merged into an anthropomorphic figure. Everyone, meet Murph.
Believe it or not, Murph is the first and only mascot to have been introduced by Nerf since its founding in 1969. The character, which looks to be completely shaped by foam bullets, uses they/them pronouns.
It could be that Murph doesn’t have visible facial expressions, or the almost-trypophobic reaction their appearance is likely to trigger, or even the fact that Murph spends their time hurling ammo crafted from Murph skin flakes—but their introduction has created a visceral response not unlike that from when the Philadelphia Flyers unveiled Gritty.
In fact, some internet users are convinced Murph and Gritty would make an ideal couple due to their shared experiences.
my only question is when will the new nerf mascot and gritty go on a date pic.twitter.com/CwgKTmgVJs
— Preeti Chhibber🕸ï¸Preorder Spidey's Social Dilemma (@runwithskizzers) June 17, 2022
kind of hasbro to introduce a love interest for gritty during pride month https://t.co/eaK1qdNSB2
— jones 🌈✨ (@prinxeMu) June 17, 2022
Perhaps the public would warm up to Murph when they finally get to meet them in an upcoming multi-year campaign called Unleash the Play in You. The mascot will also appear in NERF’s advertising of all formats, from social media posts and TikTok videos to in-store banners.
For now, the foam monster has been classified as the stuff of nightmares—but let’s not jump the gun with first impressions.
The microplastics have become sentient https://t.co/Lvt3M0ty4b
— Justin Whang 🙠(@JustinWhang) June 17, 2022
finally: a mascot who looks like he is about to steal my bones https://t.co/PDsjRahTXD
— soul nate (@MNateShyamalan) June 18, 2022
I feel like if you touch him you’ll get absorbed in the most horrific manner possible and then he’ll use your voice to communicate https://t.co/QTMm3w6pLU
— Matt from Full Fat Videos (@FullFatVideos) June 18, 2022
Making Murph a nonbinary eldritch abomination is the only Pride month corporate pandering I will accept https://t.co/GAZ4NNPxSZ
— Elle Has Cats (@ellle_em) June 18, 2022
— derek (@derekhanna89) June 18, 2022
So… is Murph the nerf mascot a guy in a Nerf dart ghillie suit, or a guy MADE or nerf darts? And if so, do they have one nerf dart that is a reproductive organ? Or are they ALL dicks… pic.twitter.com/kwlr3wppDY
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) June 18, 2022
