M&M’s is launching woke ‘all-female’ packs to celebrate female empowerment and attempt to shake things up in a continued shift toward progressive branding.
Mars, M&M’s parent company, debuted the feminist candy wrappers earlier this week, exclusively featuring the company’s three female mascots: green, brown and the newly-introduced purple.
The all-female package – upside down, to show how powerful women have ‘flipped the status quo’ – will be the first time the brown and green M&Ms have been featured together since a viral tweet from 2015 sparked rumors they were a lesbian couple.
The tweet contained a picture of the two characters holding hands on the beach, posted just two days after the Supreme Court effectively legalized gay marriage.
In fact, a search for the two characters in the notorious fan fiction site Archive Of Our Own produces 11 different results. The green M&M supposedly posted the tweet herself, writing: ‘It’s rare Ms. Brown and I get to spend time together without some colorful characters barging in.’
Mars has shifted the M&M’s brand in recent years multiple times in attempts to appear more progressive, with new CEO Poul Weihrauch looking to continue the trend.
They debuted ‘Purple’ – the first ever female peanut M&M spokescandy, who has been designed to represent acceptance and inclusivity and is ‘quirky, confident and authentic’.
More than 10 million fans voted to add the color to the confectionary’s current rainbow in May, beating aqua and pink.
Purple’s arrival was announced with ‘I’m Just Gonna Be Me,’ a new promotional song and music video, which launched on Tuesday.
Jane Hwang, global VP at Mars Wrigley said: ‘There is so much about our new spokescandy that people can relate to and appreciate, including her willingness to embrace her true self – our new character reminds us to celebrate what makes us unique.’
Purple joins the legendary cast of M&M’s characters, who were given a refresh with updated looks and more nuanced personalities back in January.
The iconic M&M characters – ubiquitous in commercials for the chocolate candies for decades – are getting a makeover that the company claimed will fit them in a ‘more dynamic, progressive world.’
The changes, which took effect immediately, gives the characters a more modern look to emphasize characters’ ‘personalities.’
The biggest changes appear to be to the two female M&M’s, the green and brown ones.
Mars, the maker of the candies, has been criticized in the past for making the green M&M too sexy, and either pushing a rivalry or a possible flirtation with the brown M&M.
The solution appears to be the green M&M losing her stiletto boots in favor of sneakers and the brown M&M wearing slightly lower heels than before to what Mars spokespersons called a ‘professional height.’
Mars wants the green M&M to be ‘better represented to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a strong female, and known for much more than her boots.’
As far as the relationship between the green and brown M&M’s, it will be based on the two ‘together throwing shine and not shade,’ as a reaction to how the two have been at odds at times in promotional material.
Each M&M has been given a Q&A to explain their new characters on the candy’s website, in which the brown M&M claims to be ‘not bossy, just the boss.’
Mars is also doubling down on the anxious orange M&M, whom the company believes is ‘one of the most relatable characters with Gen-Z, the most anxious generation.’
The orange M&M previously wore his shoes untied, but now will have them tied in an effort to represent his cautious nature, according to Mars.
The red M&M – voiced by cartoon icon Billy West in commercials and often vacillating between leader and bully toward the other M&M’s – will be adjusted to be more kind to his fellow characters.
The yellow M&M, classically dim-witted, appears to remain so. He once was quoted saying that the first thing he would do if today was his last day ever is ‘wake up.’
Mars hopes these changes will show the importance of ‘self-expression and power of community.’
Source: Daily Mail
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