Members of the Butler community are achieving extraordinary things, both on and off campus. From first-years to alumni to administrators and back, each Bulldog has a story to tell. Read on to discover the next of our Bulldogs of Butler through a Q&A style interview.
Many recent graduates’ first job out of college follows a fairly predictable path. However, 2024 Butler alum Aria Conte did not pursue something conventional. Instead, she travels the country as a “Peanutter”, driving the iconic Planter’s NUTmobile and serving as a brand ambassador for the company. Alongside two co-workers, she represents Planter’s through media appearances, event planning, social media and by bringing the vehicle to communities across the country.
Conte graduated with a degree in creative media and entertainment and minored in strategic communication, which gave her the foundation for a job that demands creativity and constant adaptability. From giving tours of the NUTmobile’s interior to mapping travel routes and creating content, Conte and her fellow “Peanutters” bring the brand — and Mr. Peanut himself — to life.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: What is your job title, and what does a typical day look like?
ARIA CONTE: My job title is a Peanutter. It’s kind of silly and not what I was expecting to be called post-grad, but my day-to-day is so different. Some days, we might have a three-hour event, head to a news station, make social media content and meet up with someone we’re collaborating with. Other days, we might have two events or have [a day off] … Even if we plan ahead months or weeks in advance, there’s always something new that can come up.
TBC: What made you apply?
AC: My mom saw this article, and the headline was something funny, like, ‘You can get paid a full salary to drive a giant peanut around the country for a year’. She knew I wanted to do something more people-facing, energetic and dynamic where I could talk to people instead of sitting in an office all day. So, she sent me that article, and I applied. It was just a regular application. People think we had to get selected from a lottery or something, but no. We [needed to have] a resume, cover letter and an application video to show our creativity and personality. I submitted those things, went through a couple [of] interviews and here I am.
TBC: What have been some memorable moments while on the road?
AC: There have been so many … [We’ve visited about] 35 states so far … When we were in Pittsburgh, we got to collaborate with The Savannah Bananas. They have a cheerleading squad called the Man-Nanas … We got to make content with them, drive them around and go to their games for free, which was cool.
We went to New York, and we had Mr. Peanut walking out of Times Square. That was awesome. Recently, we’ve met up with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile a couple times … We were also around the Bay Area for [the Super Bowl] last month, and … We drove The Costco Guys — the guys that say, ‘five big booms’ — to the game [and also] Aubrey Gavello and Alex Wood to different events.
TBC: How do people usually react to the NUTmobile?
AC: Everyone gets out their phones right away. If they’re in their car, they’ll honk at us or they’ll just stand there confused. It’s really fun when we turn the corner and someone’s at a stop sign, and they’re not expecting to see us, and they’re just looking at us, like ‘What?’ … It never gets old. It’s always awesome to make someone laugh or smile just by seeing us.
TBC: Had you seen the NUTmobile before applying?
AC: I had not. In one of my strategic communication classes freshman year, we were doing a study on different ad campaigns. I remember one of my professors showed us a Planter’s ad from the 2020 Super Bowl, and it was Mr. Peanut dying. We studied how [the brand] captured people’s attention with that, because Mr. Peanut had been around for over 100 years, and it was such a big deal. Six years later, I’m driving Mr. Peanut around the country.
TBC: What skills have you gained since starting this job?
AC: The biggest thing I’ve learned is that there’s not always going to be a higher-up [who] knows the answers. We have a manager, but she’s not on the road with us. It’s just us three. We have to make so many split-second decisions and we can’t always rely on someone else … There’s a lot of imposter syndrome that we deal with in this generation, but this job has helped me so much, because I might not know the perfect answer, [but] I have to decide anyway, and people trust me.
TBC: How did Butler help or influence the way you do your job?
AC: I really like Cutler Armstrong. I had him for a couple [of] classes. He’s super helpful and was always someone to talk to about anything school-related or even personal-related. I miss having him as a professor.
I [also] think the creative media and strategic communication programs in general helped me come out of my comfort zone and be confident enough to take a leap and try an odd job like this … Those smaller programs where the professors give you one-on-one attention and help you figure out what you want to do in your future helped me for sure.
I also want to shout out Amanda Stevenson-Holmes … I was in five fountains for a little bit and took [several] of her classes, [which] helped shape how I represent Planter’s today.
TBC: What advice do you have for students wanting to pursue an unconventional career?
AC: I would say go for it. I know that’s cliche, but there were hundreds of applicants for this job, and it was kind of a shot in the dark … I think if you see something you want to do, definitely just think outside the box, know yourself, know what you bring to the table and show that to people. Make sure you’re putting your name out there, because you can end up with a really great opportunity and resume builder like I have now.
TBC: Are there any fun peanut jokes you’ve learned along the road?
AC: We always say, ‘Shellow there’, like a peanut shell. We say, ‘What’s cracking?’. We say, ‘Thanks a crunch’ … We all have peanut names. My name is Almond Aria, my co-worker Hudson’s is Nutty Huddy and my other co-worker, Adley — her last name is Maze — is Mazelnut. We have a lot of fun jokes, and it’s fun to fully immerse ourselves in that world of just being nutty, as we say, and [making] people laugh every day.