With his vivid imagination and dreamy spirit, Snoopy is one of the iconic characters from the Peanuts comic strip, created by Charles M. Schulz in 1950. Even though he is just a dog, Snoopy has a unique personality that portrays the human individuality, making people from different ages identify with the character.
The beagle is very popular during the end-of-year festivities, often making memorable appearances in nostalgic episodes of his cartoon. At events like Halloween, he appears dressed as the Red Baron, his imaginary enemy; at Thanksgiving, he appears trying to make the classic dinner with the help of his faithful squire Woodstock. However, it is at Christmas that the beagle’s welcoming soul and spirit shines. His special A Charlie Brown Christmas has become a classic, addressing several themes such as friendship, kindness, and showing the true meaning of the holiday.
Snoopy and his friends returned to the spotlight in 2015, with the release of The Peanuts Movie, an animated film based on one of his comic strips. The film tells us two stories: Charlie Brown faces his shyness, trying to conquer his new classmate, the Little Red-Haired Girl, while Snoopy faces his enemy, the Red Baron, in his imagination. The two stories show us a contrast between imagination and the real world, showing how powerful feelings and sensations are. The success of the film brought back the affection that the public has for Charlie Brown and his gang, thus strengthening the feeling of nostalgia.
The return of retro aesthetics in fashion, music, and pop culture has ignited a sense of affection for the past, uniting several generations. Beyond being a comic book character, Snoopy has come to symbolize nostalgia. With a simple and gentle look, the character brings a welcoming air, showing how emotions were portrayed with such sensitivity. For many, wearing an outfit, accessories or just seeing a photo of their beloved beagle helps to bring back fond memories, helping to calm down amidst so much chaos in life. In this way, Snoopy transcends generational barriers, helping to stay current.
One of the reasons Snoopy is loved by people of all ages is the sense of identification he evokes in the majority of his audience. Despite being a dog, the beagle displays a captivating personality, both in the comics and various episodes of the Charlie Brown cartoon, taking on imaginative roles such as psychologist, writer, lawyer, and even athlete, all delivered with his unique humor full of sarcasm. His expressiveness fosters a sense of closeness with the audience, reflecting different life stages, insecurities, and even human desires. This relatability also fuels his popularity on social media, where countless gifs, stickers, and memes featuring Snoopy are shared across generations.
The beloved beagle is present in everyone’s lives in some way, whether in memes, funny videos, or photos that we receive daily through messages. Snoopy has gone beyond the comic strips and has become a true pop icon. In addition to his presence on social media, the iconic character is also a star in the fashion scene. Several brands have paid tribute to the character by creating incredible collections. Among them is Lacoste, placing the little dog next to the alligator that represents the brand; Coach went beyond clothing and developed boots and accessories printed with characters from the Peanuts series; Converse and Vans followed the brand’s lead, creating sneakers and t-shirts with Charlie Brown and even Woodstock.
In 2025, the iconic beagle Snoopy will have a new exhibition in his honor, to celebrate the character’s 75th anniversary. The event celebrated the story of Schulz’s creation, involving art, fashion and culture. The exhibition was held in Paris and featured the participation of several fashion houses, such as Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce and Gabbana and Balmain. The event featured 75 exclusive pieces, inspired by vintage fashion, each representing a historical moment of the character, mixing various references, including nostalgic and contemporary. In addition to being a tribute, the exhibition was a true parade of memories.
More than 70 years after the creation of Peanuts, Snoopy continues to be a huge figure in pop culture, spanning time and especially generations. Created by Charles M. Schulz Snoopy, with his imagination, charisma and a touch of sarcasm, the beagle has earned a global place in culture. His success has gone beyond the comic strips that were initially published in newspapers, becoming a print, inspiration, emotional memory and even the inspiration for scientific articles.
Nostalgia has become a type of language through which generations communicate, and characters like Snoopy have gained a lot of strength. His simple but emotional image has been resurfaced in museum exhibitions, fashion collections, memes and stickers, showing us how timeless he is. Snoopy left a legacy for everyone of how important emotions are. In the midst of the rush, he taught us how to keep dreaming and how to keep friendships. The world may always be in constant change, but Snoopy will continue, not only as an iconic character, but also as a reminder for us of what it is to be human.
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The article above was edited by Malu Panico.
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