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M&M change: Candy maker renews less sexist-looking pets | Business and Economic News

The confectioner Mars said she wants to give her pets more personality nuances as a way to promote inclusivity.

Candy maker Mars gives a look at its six M&M characters as a way to promote inclusivity.

The company said it would give the characters a modern look, which they call “lentils,” and give them a more nuanced personality. Lentils in red, green, orange, yellow, brown, and blue will also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Among the changes in M ​​& M’s characters are two of them being less stereotypical female. In the new version, M&M Green throws heeled boots in favor of sneakers and brown candy no longer wears stilettos, instead of opting for low heels.

“Our aim is to overcome the obstacles that are expected and to know the small joys that are shared in our daily lives. Imagine a world with fewer trials and more connections and more consistent laughter, ”the U.S. company said on its website.

Mars, whose brand also includes Twix and Snickers, said it will put more emphasis on the M & M logo beams to show how the brand aims to bring people together.

Towards inclusiveness and internalizing individual inequalities, consumers are increasingly aware of how their products are marketed. Mars is aware that in 2020 it had to change its Uncle Ben’s rice brand name due to criticism. The Quaker Oats Company’s Aunt Jemima brand of pancake mixes and syrups — part of PepsiC — changed last year because it said Aunt Jemima was based on a stereotype of race.

But some retailers believe that Mars is thinking too much about marketing its M&M.

Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce Marketing Consulting, says the move to innovate M & M’s character is a “good idea,” but it’s just one example of marketers worrying about insulting consumers. And he believes that this step is “on the verge of potential overthrow.”

Marketing consultant Laura Ries agrees, though she praises Mars’ emphasis on ampersand as a symbol of unity.

“They’re looking for a little bit of attention and trying to be more inclusive,” Ries said. “I don’t think there was a general call for M & M’s general sexualization. It’s just an M&M. “




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