We feel for him. In his career as an insurance salesman, Snoopy got fantastic view of New York City and elsewhere flying free on the blimps of insurance company MetLife. No more. That and other perks will soon end for the beloved cartoon dog: MetLife fired him after more than thirty years of loyal service.
The 148-year-old company adopted Snoopy as its mascot in its efforts to reach out to U.S. consumers. Snoopy is all over mailing and promotional materials so his departure will take quite a bit.
But the reason is that MetLife is spinning off its U.S. life-insurance operation in the first half of 2017. Once it branches off that business into the new company, Brighthouse Financial, MetLife will focus on corporate clients and insurance for employers. It will also retain its large international life insurance operation.
Insiders say many at MetLife were uneasy with Snoopy as their corporate mascot. They felt it did not behoove the company image. But customers loved him.
Unlike others who lose their jobs, Snoopy still has a long career ahead of him. He appears daily in several comic strips across the world. And he survives in the legend, too.