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Apparently, the Mars Corporation got the message from the public—loud and clear.
Two weeks after it announced a new, special edition packaging of M&Ms—one with an all-female version that was scheduled to soon hit the shelves—the iconic candy company decided to put the marketing campaign on “pause.”
The announcement was made on Jan. 5 of the female packaging and updates to the “spokescandies” that have appeared in commercials for years. M&M’s since discovered that many people have become weary of global brands adopting woke marketing campaigns, and on Monday, it admitted on social media that the “all-female” edition could be “polarizing” to some consumers.
In the proposed new look for M&M’s, female spokescandies Green and Brown were redesigned to “tone down their femininity.” Green was to wear sneakers instead of white go-go boots, and Brown wore heels that were lower and more square compared with the high heels she wore in the past.
M&M’s even gave hints that the two characters were in a lesbian relationship.
It’s rare Ms. Brown and I get to spend time together without some colorful characters barging in. – Ms. Green pic.twitter.com/hnoktsAgAW
— M&M’S (@mmschocolate) June 28, 2015
“America, let’s talk,” the tweet says. “In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies. We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn’t think it would break the Internet.
“But now we get it—even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing. Which was the last thing M&M’s wanted since we’re all about bringing people together.
“Therefore, we have decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies. In their place, we are proud to introduce a spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph. We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong.”
It’s rare Ms. Brown and I get to spend time together without some colorful characters barging in. – Ms. Green pic.twitter.com/hnoktsAgAW
— M&M’S (@mmschocolate) June 28, 2015
The Blaze reported that Fox News responded to the proposed marketing campaign with “outrage and exasperation.” Media Matters created a montage of Fox News personalities—including Tucker Carlson, Kat Timpf and Martha McCallum—denouncing the new woke version of M&M’s.
“Green M&M got her boots back, but apparently is now a lesbian, maybe,” Carlson says.
Rudolph, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association and an outspoken figure for gay rights, told Today.com about her new partnership with M&MS:
“I’m thrilled to be working with M&M’s. I am a lifelong lover of the candy and I feel like it’s such an honor to be asked to be part of such a legendary brand’s campaign. It’s a very fun pairing, if I do say so myself. I think little Maya would be thrilled to get to work with M&M’s.” {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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