Charlie the Tuna

Names	Charlie the Tuna
Gender	Male
Race	Tuna
Occupation	Mascot for StarKist
Origin	StarKist Advertisements (1961)
Alignment	Good
Age	Unknown
Created By	Tom Rogers
Height	Not Stated
Weight	Not Stated

Charlie the Tuna, StarKist’s mascot, is a cartoon tuna fish known for his laid-back, “cool” personality and distinctive style. Created by Tom Rogers of the Leo Burnett Agency in 1961, Charlie’s character was inspired by Rogers’ friend Henry Nemo, who was known for his jive-talking style, similar to the casual, jazz-inflected slang Charlie uses.

In StarKist’s advertising campaigns, Charlie is depicted as a beatnik-like hipster sporting a beret and thick glasses, a reflection of his cultured and “good taste” persona. In these ads, Charlie believes his sophisticated personality makes him ideal for StarKist tuna, only to be repeatedly rejected by an unseen announcer, who humorously reminds him, “Sorry, Charlie! StarKist doesn’t want tunas with good taste; they want tunas that taste good.” This phrase became a popular catchphrase in American culture.

History

Charlie, originally voiced by Herschel Bernardi, appeared in over 85 ads until the 1980s, when the campaign was paused. StarKist revived him in 1999 to promote a new, health-focused tuna product line, re-establishing Charlie as one of the most recognizable figures in American advertising. Charlie remains the iconic face of StarKist, representing the brand’s playful and personable image.

Charlie the Tuna has left a significant legacy, influencing pop culture and inspiring names and references across various fields. Los Angeles radio personality Art Ferguson adopted the on-air name “Charlie Tuna” after inheriting it during a reshuffling of DJ names at KOMA in Oklahoma City. The name stuck, and Ferguson used it throughout his career, including stints in Boston and Los Angeles.

In sports, American football coach Bill Parcells earned the nickname “The Big Tuna” after responding to a player’s dubious claim with the remark, “Who do you think I am? Charlie the Tuna?” Meanwhile, hip-hop artist Chali 2na derived his stage name from Charlie Tuna, a nickname given to him by his uncle.

Charlie the Tuna’s influence extended into film. During the production of The Shape of Water (2017), director Guillermo del Toro revealed that the call sheet referred to the film's aquatic creature as "Charlie" after the StarKist mascot. Although the production team initially wanted to feature a StarKist ad in the movie, the company declined, but the nickname "Charlie" remained.

Charlie also appeared in pop culture cameos, such as in the 2012 animated movie Foodfight! and on the North American cover art for the film. He was included in MasterCard's "Icons" commercial during Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, where he joined other advertising mascots for a memorable dinner scene, further cementing his status as an iconic character.