Big news in the candy world today. As part of a new campaign to ensure that the M&M characters represent the world around them, Mars has announced that the colorful characters, who appear in TV commercials and movie theater advertisements, will now have a “more dynamic, progressive” look that focuses on their personalities instead of their gender and appearances. (Read: they’re done trying to make everyone horny with the green one.)
Via CBS News:
The most notable changes include the green M&M’s redesign, which will exchange the white heeled go-go boots she was given in 1997 for “cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence.” Mars had received criticism for the green M&M’s sexy characterization. The green M&M will also be “better represented to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a strong female, and known for much more than her boots.”
In addition to de-sexualizing a chocolate candy cartoon, Mars will also highlight the orange M&M’s mental health struggles, and yes, you’re reading all of this right. This is actually happening:
The orange M&M, who has an anxious personality, will “embrace his true self, worries and all.” But the orange M&M’s shoe laces will now be tied to represent his cautious nature. According to Mars, the orange M&M is “one of the most relatable characters with Gen-Z,” which is the “most anxious generation.”
Needless to say, the internet had lots of thoughts about a candy company coming right out and saying, “Hey, could you guys please not want to have sex with the green one? Seriously.”
You can see some of the reactions below:
i'm sorry but to me the m&ms should always be inexplicably horny cannibals https://t.co/yY7y8JAn4m
— Brian Grubb (@briancgrubb) January 20, 2022
Women: Everyone's lives would improve if we had things like paid family leave, universal pre-K, affordable child care, and the ability to make informed decisions about our reproductive futures
Capitalism: Lol no but please enjoy these feminist M&Ms pic.twitter.com/Xoy7mYAK3Z
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) January 20, 2022
how am I supposed to eat these tiny chocolates if the green one isn’t trying to fuck me
— Katie Nolan (probably) (@katienolan) January 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/clockoutwars/status/1484228124120334336
You ever be eating m&ms and think “these would taste better if they had mental illness” pic.twitter.com/OcamczzMQY
— 🍄derek🦔 (@pornmoth) January 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/pilotviruet/status/1484228402357936128
re-yassify the M&Ms immediately https://t.co/ZrqCOvmfBQ
— Magdalene J. Taylor (@magdajtaylor) January 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/bigblackjacobin/status/1484218332748390401
don't worry folks, they won't be changing the core element of M&Ms mythos: the implication that they feed on each other for sustenance https://t.co/9AYZ1s1AS3 pic.twitter.com/pRLHCNa9Pe
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) January 20, 2022
And, finally, this last one really gives you something to think about. Where’s the societal urge to make this bold, radical change happen?
M&Ms are being redesigned to look like Eminem pic.twitter.com/hBDyeMDfaZ
— BLURAYANGEL 🦇 (@blurayangel) January 20, 2022
(Via CBS News)