See what you click on FoxBusiness.com. The Laughing Cow is no longer laughing and shoppers want to know what wiped the iconic smile off his face. For the first time in more than 100 years, the laughing red cow has traded in her trademark smile for a somber expression on select packages of The Laughing Cow Creamy Original Cheese Wedges launching nationwide. The surprise makeover is part of a mysterious new campaign called “The Not Laughing Cow,” but the company is keeping shoppers guessing what wiped the smile off their pet’s face. SHOPPERS ARE GOING CRAZY FOR PIGGLY WIGGLY’S RETRO PIG MERCHANDISE The Laughing Cow has replaced its famous smiling mascot with a serious expression on select Creamy Original packages. (Bel Brands USA / Fox News) Bel Brands told Fox News Digital that the frown is only temporary and promised that the mystery will begin to unravel in the coming days. “The Laughing Cow has spent more than 100 years reminding us not to take life too seriously. So when it suddenly gets serious, you need to pay attention,” Jamee Pearlstein, director of marketing for Bel Brands USA, US Cheese, said in a news release. TREATMENT IN COURT AFTER YEARS OFF THE MENU Not Laughing Cow packages are appearing in more than 4,700 stores across the continental United States. (Bel Brands USA / Fox News) “Whatever finally came to her must be worth talking about. We’ll let her explain when she’s ready,” Pearlstein added. The new packages feature the stone-faced cow alongside a QR code and the cryptic message: “We need to talk.” The code directs shoppers to TheNotLaughingCow.com, where the brand invites fans to speculate on the reason for his abrupt change of mood. MCDONALD’S ONCE SOLD BELOVED COOKIES FEATURING FORGOTTEN CHARACTERS FROM THE CHAIN’S PAST The Laughing Cow mascot sits alone in a restaurant as part of the mysterious “We Need to Talk” campaign. (Bel Brands USA / Fox News) Videos on the campaign website lean toward mystery and show the usually upbeat mascot looking downcast and alone. In one clip, she sits alone in a restaurant. Another shows her swaying somberly alone as the words “The Laughing Cow Stopped Laughing” and “We Need to Talk” appear on the screen. The serious-faced mascot has also appeared in parks, restaurants and on the brand’s social media channels, according to the company. The company said shoppers began noticing the change even before the brand formally acknowledged it, and fans reached out directly to ask what had happened to Laughing Cow. BELOVED YOGURT PROVOKES FANS REVOLT: ‘IT’S WHAT I GOT OUT OF BED FOR’ The usually cheerful Laughing Cow mascot appears stone-faced on a swing in the brand’s new campaign. (Bel Brands USA / Fox News) “We are excited to see curiosity and conversation continue to increase as more packs of The Not Laughing Cow appear on shelves,” Bel Brands told Fox News Digital. The special packages are available in select markets in every state in the continental U.S. and can be found in more than 4,700 stores, according to the company. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Bel Brands emphasized that the new expression is not a permanent logo or packaging change. Once consumers learn why the pet stopped laughing, the company said it is confident it will eventually smile again and that packaging and social media channels will return to the cheerful expression shoppers have known for more than a century. The temporary redesign marks a dramatic break from an image that shoppers have recognized for generations. The Laughing Cow said its smiling mascot has promoted optimism and encouraged consumers to see the bright side of life since 1921.
