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Mars, Incorporated, the maker of the addictive M&M candies, has announced that the anthropomorphic advertising characters are going to be more inclusive so that all feel welcome. Was there anyone in the known universe who felt “excluded” by the yummy candies?
Anthropomorphic advertising is defined as assigning human characteristics to animals and objects. “Tony the Tiger”, the Chick-fil-a cows, the GEICO gekko, the dancing snacks in the old “Let’s All Go To The Lobby” animation, and the M&M candies. Because animals and objects are not sentient, they are generally seen as politically and socially non-threatening. They don’t have positions on gender identity, gun control or green energy. They are inclusive. Or, were. Or, were not enough. Couldn’t M&M listen to President Trump, who famously said, “Everything woke turns to sh*t”. Couldn’t the candy maker learn the lesson from when Coke lectured its employees to be “less white”. Candy by its nature is inclusive. Maybe not to dentists, but to everyone else.
From the Mars, Inc. Press Release:
M&M’S®, part of the Mars, Incorporated portfolio of brands, has announced a global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong, and society is inclusive. The iconic candy brand’s announcement is built on more than 80 years of bringing people together with its bite-sized colorful candies and flavors and is part of the evolved M&M’S brand’s strategy 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.
What part of those delicious little candies was not inclusive? Full disclosure: My husband and I are addicted to the peanut butter flavor of M&M’s. We may have to go cold turkey after this.
More from the Press Release:
Studies show our desire to belong is as strong as our desire to be loved, and that desire is common for all people irrespective of culture, race, ethnicity, geography, or location. M&M’S used this insight to create the M&M’S FUNd to track the brand’s impact on our 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.
Belong to what? Be loved by whom? I would rather belong to my local community and be loved by my family than a candy. A candy, even one as delicious as an M&M cannot provide emotional sustenance. Actually, it would seem a commitment to a candy could be psychologically damaging.
But, the poor brand schlubs at Mars think the rest of us have as unfulfilling lives as theirs. Take your paychecks and be glad, drones.
Again, from the Press Release, here are the changes consumers will see:
-A fresh, modern take on the looks of our beloved 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 iconic color palette and the use of different shapes and sizes of M&M’S lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we’re more fun
-An added emphasis on the ampersand – a distinctive element within the M&M’S logo that serves to connect the two Ms –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 our signature jester wit and humor
It’s hella time that the ampersand got its due. It will be hard for the candies to remain rooted in their “signature jester wit and humor” once they are woke. Woke is not known for humor.
Here is the new “For All Funkind” ad campaign:
They are taking away Green’s high heeled go go boots for sneakers and Orange M&M is going to acknowledge his anxiety. Holy Zoloft, Batman.
orange will acknowledge his anxiety pic.twitter.com/hNmcRbrwtX
— Nathan Allebach (@nathanallebach) January 20, 2022
Isn’t there enough anxiety in the world? Does my candy have to acknowledge his anxiety? Gah! I got sucked in. My candy does not have anxiety. My candy is not sentient. I hope it doesn’t feel excluded. Go to #ForAllFunkind and tell the M&M Brand Schlubs how you feel.
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Irobot says: I think the term is actually anthropomorphic personification. This is what happens when the world is run by marketing. I do notice that the brown M&M has attitude. She has the whole arms crossed, passive aggressive stance going on. The only one with a chip, maybe chocolate, on her shoulder. She looks as though she’s there to spoil the fun.
Toni Williams says: Good to know for the future. I was just a dumb brand management person.
TW
Patty says: LOL…I agree!
Roke8 says: Stuff like this does NOT surprise me anymore. As, I read a leftist (woke) article that ‘coffee creamer’ was raciest because it was white not black.
Lewis says: O great, another lie is forming on my lips! I will have to find some other treat for my husband with dementia. He loves, loves, loves m&m’s, but it ain’t happening here anymore! So, the lie.. “Honey, there just aren’t any in the grocery, I hope you still like tootsie pops!”
What can’t these people just sell whatever they sell and leave the politics out of it! On the other hand, thank God they don’t make pink m&m’s. Or do they?
Milwaukee says: Lewis. Thank you for loving and caring for your husband in his need. I’ve worked with patients with dimentia. For his sake, give him M&Ms, don’t try to explain. Bless you. You, by all means, give them up.
My giving up M&Ms isn’t hard. Blood sugar issues for me. Plus, in the unfairness of the universe, a First World Problem— my beard is nearly white and my head nearly bald and too much chocolate still has detrimental effects on my face. Bummer.
Hate_me says: They now make pastel-colored M&Ms every Easter season, including various shades that could be called pink.
As much as I feel the urge to push everyone away from Mars/M&Ms and toward Hershey’s/Reese’s (Reese’s Pieces are better than M&Ms and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are better than Peanut Butter M&Ms), I really can’t support politically-motivated boycotts (there are third-party PB cups that taste better than anything Reese’s makes).
Eat what you enjoy because you enjoy eating it. Watch what you want because you enjoy watching it. If you are genuinely so opposed to anyone having a different perspective (an ailment that effortlessly jumps the aisle), I suggest you take a step back and reassess your premises. You have drifted from the spirit of this great American experiment.
Jane Fonda is a horrible woman who did wrong by her imperiled countrymen. Still, I can appreciate the film Barbarella. I largely disagree with Senators Manchin and Sinema on their political priorities, but I respect them both for sticking to their principles. I believe that Mr. Biden is an entitled coward and self-loathing dandy, for whom his understanding of “strength,” “honor,” “manliness,” or any other virtue was formed by watching spaghetti westerns; that doesn’t mean I can’t sympathize with some of the profound loss he’s suffered in his life. He has certainly and heartlessly cashed-in on many of them, politically, but I cannot believe some still didn’t hurt him, viscerally.
I’ll shop for sporting goods somewhere other than Dick’s, when it’s an option – but I’m not going to deprive myself of sports because the circumstances of available sporting goods are not perfectly ideal.
If M&Ms make him happy, give him M&Ms. He’s much more significant than anything going on in Foggy Bottom or on Capitol Hill.
Irobot says: I would never accuse you of being dumb Toni. The Victory Girls are my first stop every morning and I know there are a few other Aussies who follow VG. The author Terry Pratchett taught me what the term meant. Keep up the great work.
F.D.R. in Hell says: The US Government knew in 1938 that food coloring needed to be monitor and controlled. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed. That being said, I’m a little uncomfortable with Green taunting “Eat me, big boy!”.
JeffH says: I wonder how much more prevalent borderline personality disorder is among advertising folks than among the general population?
Bob T says: LOL! Great question!
Milwaukee says: Truly the left ruins everything, and they are humorless scolds. I am short of curses— I don’t have nearly enough swear words. I’ve plenty of prayers, just not nearly enough swear words. These people are hellbent on mindless conformity of endorsing depravity.
Fortunately, in the name of keto, there’s chocolate bars which are 92-95% cocoa. Little bits of that go a long way.
Raymond Kempisty says: I just retired and am becoming the house mouse. Last week I baked oatmeal raisin cookies. Today is M&M cookie day. Thank a lot ! Now I have to choke em down instead of wolfing em down.
Fire21 says: I feel left out. Where’s the white M&M?
marcy youker says: My Husband loves M&Ms he has Parkinson’s, for his sake I will buy them for him, but is totally ridiculous to make such a big deal about a candy, no wander we are going down as the nation we once were, very depressing, sorry for the next generation.
Kirt says: Un Fucking Believable…There Woke Ass Will Never See A Penny From Me Again !!!
Subotai Bahadur says: When I first heard of this, I assumed that it would be an LGBT contingent in the bag and in the ads. Still kind of expect it.
Subotai Bahadur
Alpheus says: Perhaps one of the greatest ironies of this is, had they merely made the change, and not announced it, probably no one would have noticed or cared — but because they’re announcing it, they are instantly alienating a lot of people.
Of course, if no one would have cared had the change been made gradually, it means that the change is useless, merely symbolic, and thus won’t change the world one way or the other (let alone make it a better place).
Cameron says: Ah yes; I can remember all those strong independent WAMENZ sobbing into their sangrias because candy just wasn’t inclusive enough for them. Glad that this horrid injustice is being corrected.
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