NEWARK, N.J. — Mars Inc. is updating the “look and feel” of its M&M candies as part of a “global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong.”
The new social strategy is “built on purpose, which promises to use the power of fun to include everyone, with a goal of increasing the sense of belonging for 10 million people around the world by 2025,” the company said.
“M&M’s has long been committed to creating colorful fun for all, and this purpose serves as a more concrete commitment to what we’ve always believed as a brand: that everyone has the right to enjoy moments of happiness, and fun is the most powerful way to help people feel that they belong,” said Cathryn Sleight, chief growth officer at Mars Wrigley.
Noting common goals shared by people all around the world, irrespective of culture, race, ethnicity, geography or location, M&M’s created the M&M’s Fund to track the brand’s effect on the company’s mission, which will offer resources, mentorship, opportunities and financial support in the arts and entertainment space to help ensure people have access to experiences where everyone feels they belong.
The reimaging will include changes in the candy brand’s look and feel, each intended to reflect its new commitment. These changes include:
- A modern take on the looks of the M&M characters and more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling.
- An enhanced focus on the brand’s color palette and the use of different shapes and sizes of M&M’s lentils across all touchpoints to encourage cultural harmony.
- An added emphasis on the ampersand to demonstrate how the brand aims to bring people together.
- An updated tone of voice that is more inclusive, welcoming and unifying, while remaining rooted in the brand’s wit and humor.
“We’re excited to reveal our new M&M’s brand look and feel, which fans will see come to life across all M&M’s touchpoints around the globe,” said Jane Hwang, global marketing vice president of Mars Wrigley. “From new product innovations to brand campaigns, our evolved characters and our experiential retail stores, we’ll incorporate colorful visuals, inclusive messaging and our purpose into all we do to prove that all together, we’re more fun.”
The new global commitment from M&M’s is just one of many actions being taken across Mars Inc. to create a world where society is inclusive, the company said. These include a commitment to gender-balanced leadership teams, running an independent annual diversity audit of its advertising (run by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media) and its role as vice chair of the Unstereotype Alliance, part of UN Women, among others.
Mars Wrigley is a division of Mars Inc., Newark, N.J. With $40 billion in annual sales, Mars Inc. produces candy brands such as Snickers, Dove, Extra, M&M’s, Milky Way, Twix and more.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.