Why Liberty Mutual's New Minions Commercial Has The Internet Heated

Like it or not, "Minions" season has arrived. With the impending release of "Minions: The Rise of Gru," the little yellow creatures have re-entered the mainstream, popping up wherever (and on whatever) they can in a bid to promote their long-awaited sequel.

Minions debuted in 2010's "Despicable Me," and became an overwhelming force in pop culture thereafter. But while many absolutely adore the characters, a significant percentage of the population has grown to detest the pill-shaped subordinates. In 2015, a parody video of a teenager having a meltdown over their ineffable hatred of the Minions went viral. Beyond that clever performance, real Minion loathing appears to be so palpable that an entire community dedicated to hating the characters on Reddit has nearly 50,000 members. The cultural distaste of the "Despicable Me" characters has sparked considerable discussion, with Vice conducting a deep dive into the general populace's hatred for Minions. According to the outlet, it's possible that the most avid haters are secret admirers of the strangely shaped creatures. 

The "Minions" hype (or hate) train has been relatively calm since the release of "Despicable Me 3," which hit cinemas in 2017. However, with "The Rise of Gru" set to arrive later this year, Universal has kicked off its marketing spree, this time teaming with Liberty Mutual for an advertisement that has viewers heated.

Universal Pictures partnered with Liberty Mutual, an insurance company, to promote "Minions: The Rise of Gru." After all, what screams childlike shenanigans than saving on car insurance? One spot from the collaboration (above) sees a man fishing and discussing the benefits of Liberty Mutual before reeling in a submarine filled with Minions who start shouting in their native language.

While the ad may sway a few to change their insurance provider, it's mostly made people on the internet vehemently upset. "We need to address corporate lobbying but we also need to get Liberty Mutual's advertising budget frozen. I just saw an unskippable Liberty Mutual ad with Minions in it and it felt like my own personal hell," Twitter user @KatieToTheLeft shared. While @KatieToTheLeft wants to take a more rational approach by stopping Liberty Mutual, @The_Alpha_Kong wants to spread chaos after watching the crossover: "I just saw a Liberty Mutual commercial with Minions in it and it might just be time to commit a Serious Crime."

A Reddit user put it simply: both Liberty Mutual and the team behind the "Despicable Me" franchise seem to have run out of ideas, "Thought 'my God they hit the bottom of the barrel and broke out shovels.'" @letitflyely believes the commercial was a match made in corporate heaven, saying "Liberty Mutual WOULD partner with the Minions. Can't think of a more perfect annoying duo."

"Minions: The Rise of Gru" hits cinemas on July 1, 2022.