Mars Wrigley updates M&M’S characters to promote inclusivity
Fans will see changes in all M&M’S global touchpoints.
Mars Wrigley is updating the M&M'S brand’s characters to include more nuanced personalities and underscore the importance of self-expression and the power of community.
"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. "As one of the world's most iconic candy brands, who better to commit to a world with more moments of fun by increasing a sense of belonging around the globe than M&M'S?"
Citing work from psychologists Robert J. Taormina and Jennifer H. Gao and the Center for Talent Innovation, Mars Wrigley said the desire to belong is as strong as the 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 its 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.
This year, fans of the M&M'S brand will also see changes in the brand's look and feel as part of its evolution, each intended to reflect its new commitment:
- 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 the brand’s signature jester 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, 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. In fact, this purpose is already on full display at the new M&M'S store in Berlin, which features multiple languages on signage as an invitation to all and our most diverse Associate base that celebrates those from different cultures, backgrounds and generations."
The new global commitment from M&M'S is just one of many actions being taken across Mars, Incorporated to create a world where society is inclusive. 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.
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