Charlie the Tuna

Charlie the Tuna is a fictional character from a popular advertising campaign by StarKist Tuna. Created in the 1960s, he’s depicted as an earnest, likeable tuna who aspires to be "StarKist quality" but often gets rejected because he’s considered too “fishy” or not suitable for the product. The ads humorously highlight Charlie’s persistent optimism despite repeated rejections, emphasizing that StarKist tuna is the preferred choice. Overall, Charlie’s character uses humor to reinforce the brand’s message about selecting high-quality, desirable tuna.