M&M's updates branding -- including mascots -- to put inclusivity front and center
A new article on Marketing Dive reports that M&M's is updating its branding to put a larger emphasis on inclusivity and belonging, according to a press release. The effort was done in partnership with creative agency BBDO New York, design shop Jones Knowles Ritchie and public relations firm Weber Shandwick.
The Mars Wrigley line's ampersand will be used more prominently, doubling as a point of connection between the two Ms and a symbol of how the brand can unite people. M&M's mascots are getting a modernized look as well, with makeovers drawing out their "nuanced personalities" in a celebration of self-expression. M&M's color palette and a mix of candies in different shapes and sizes will receive greater attention to demonstrate how society is more fun together.
Marketing will focus more on unifying messages while preserving M&M's established sense of humor. The company is backing up the overhaul with a commitment to increase a sense of belonging for 10 million people globally by 2025. The initiative will be tracked in part through a new M&M's Fund encompassing financial support, mentorship and resources in the arts and entertainment industry.
M&M's is recentering its purpose around inclusivity with a brand overhaul. The strategy is wide-ranging, touching across advertising, retail stores, brand activations and the personas and appearance of M&M's longstanding candy mascots. Changes to packaging and character designs are subtle but symbolic -- the female green M&M has swapped out high-heeled boots in favor of sneakers, for instance -- while M&M's is upholding its "jester wit and humor" even as a theme of unity is foregrounded.
The idea is to position fun as a powerful means of connecting people and instilling a sense of belonging. It's a simple concept that could resonate during a period marked by intense division. U.S. consumers are the most likely to say society is conflicted along partisan, racial and ethnic lines, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of divisiveness in advanced nations. At the same time, even addressing topics like inclusivity in marketing can be a touchy subject matter for consumers who prefer to keep brands and politics separate.
The Mars Wrigley line's ampersand will be used more prominently, doubling as a point of connection between the two Ms and a symbol of how the brand can unite people. M&M's mascots are getting a modernized look as well, with makeovers drawing out their "nuanced personalities" in a celebration of self-expression. M&M's color palette and a mix of candies in different shapes and sizes will receive greater attention to demonstrate how society is more fun together.
Marketing will focus more on unifying messages while preserving M&M's established sense of humor. The company is backing up the overhaul with a commitment to increase a sense of belonging for 10 million people globally by 2025. The initiative will be tracked in part through a new M&M's Fund encompassing financial support, mentorship and resources in the arts and entertainment industry.
M&M's is recentering its purpose around inclusivity with a brand overhaul. The strategy is wide-ranging, touching across advertising, retail stores, brand activations and the personas and appearance of M&M's longstanding candy mascots. Changes to packaging and character designs are subtle but symbolic -- the female green M&M has swapped out high-heeled boots in favor of sneakers, for instance -- while M&M's is upholding its "jester wit and humor" even as a theme of unity is foregrounded.
The idea is to position fun as a powerful means of connecting people and instilling a sense of belonging. It's a simple concept that could resonate during a period marked by intense division. U.S. consumers are the most likely to say society is conflicted along partisan, racial and ethnic lines, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of divisiveness in advanced nations. At the same time, even addressing topics like inclusivity in marketing can be a touchy subject matter for consumers who prefer to keep brands and politics separate.
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