The six M&M characters who star in advertising campaigns from producer Mars are getting a makeover: they become more inclusive. The appearance of the M&M icons, called “lentils” by Mars itself, is becoming more modern, according to the company, and their personalities are getting more nuance.
The redesigned versions of six characters – red, green, orange, yellow, brown and blue, also come in different shapes and sizes. Two characters are becoming less stereotypically feminine, the company reports. The updated version of the green M&M trades in its white high-heeled boots for sneakers, and the brown M&M no longer wears stilettos but lower heels.
,,Our ambition is to play with expectations, to break through boundaries, and to celebrate the small moments of happiness in the everyday. Imagine a world with less judgment & more connection & constant laughter,” the company writes on its website. Mars, which also makes Twix and Snickers candy bars, said it will put extra emphasis on the ampersand in its logo. M&Ms to show how the brand aims to bring people together.
Attention seeking
On the M&M’s website, every ‘lentil’ now has its own mini-interview. That should give you an idea of the character of the candy mascots. For example, Groen says: “I think we all win if we see more women in leadership roles, so I’m happy to be the encouraging friend if they succeed.”
However, some marketers think Mars is overthinking things here. Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing company Metaforce, calls the makeover a “good idea” but also an example of how afraid marketing companies are of offending its customers.
Marketing consultant Laura Ries says it’s a way to get attention: “They’re looking for attention and trying to follow the trend towards more inclusiveness,” she explains. “I don’t think there was a general outcry about the sexualization of the M&M. It’s just an M&M.”
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