Nerf has been a childhood staple for decades with squishy sports equipment and foam dart guns, but it’s never had a mascot — until today. Meet Murph, a…well, a something in a big suit that’s covered in foam darts.
Eyeless Technicolor Bigfoot? Gritty’s noodly cousin? Murph is a serious mystery. They look like they’re wearing a rainbow Ghillie suit that wouldn’t be out of place at a kid’s birthday party (or a rave). But that’s too pedestrian a description for Murph, “the personification of the playful spirit – the one that can only be unleashed with NERF,” as a press release describes them.
You’ll be seeing more of Murph on the Nerf social media channels and retail stores as the brand leans into its new avatar, which is a bit unsettling until you remember how many other truly unhinged mascots brands have deployed to connect with kids (The Noid, anyone?). Murph fits right in with the bizarre commercials that come on during kids TV shows.
And I must admit, having Murph nearby to pluck off foam darts during heated Nerf blaster fights would be pretty handy.
Read more: Toys for kids at heart
