Not sexy enough anymore?
Mars sends M&M’s figures into forced break – because right-wing haters don’t like their shoes
In addition to the red and yellow M, there are now also green, blue, brown, orange and purple advertising characters
© Panthermedia / Imago Images
With the modernization of its M&M’s figures, manufacturer Mars triggered a shitstorm from the right-wing corner. Now the confectionery company is reacting and replacing the talking cartoon characters “indefinitely” with actress Maya Rudolph.
The talking M&M’s characters have been a fixture in the chocolate brand’s campaigns for many years. Now the US confectionery manufacturer Mars is sending the advertising mascots on forced leave. The well-known cartoon characters have been “taken an indefinite hiatus,” according to a statement on M&M’s Instagram page. They are to be replaced by the real advertising face of actress Maya Rudolph.
The background to the decision is a debate about the political correctness of the colorful “Spokescandies,” which led to an absurd hate campaign from right-wing circles. A year ago, Mars revamped the colorful M&M’s characters to give them what was then called a “fresh, modern look.” This meant that instead of over-the-knee boots and very high-heeled shoes, the two female chocolate lenses now wore sneakers and slightly lower heels. The brand wants to do more “for a diverse and inclusive society”, wrote the group about the seven different colored characters.
That didn’t sit well with right-wing circles with a conservative understanding of gender roles. They condemned the decision as a “woke” and made a lot of noise against the outrageous political correctness. Fox News moderator Tucker Carlson, for example, was incensed that the green M&M’s lady’s “sexy boots” had been replaced by “sensitive sneakers”. Carlson interpreted the company’s intention to present women as strong leaders as follows: The aim is to make the M&M’s characters so unsexy that they no longer want to be invited for a drink, Carlson explained with all seriousness in the Voice.
U-turn or PR stunt?
Mars is now reacting to attacks of this type with the latest decision. “America, we need to talk,” says the current Instagram statement. At the time, one was not even sure whether the changes to the figures would be noticed at all. And you definitely didn’t expect them to “destroy the internet.” “But now we get it — even candy’s shoes can polarize.”
This was not intended, the intention was rather to bring people together. “As a result, we have decided to take an indefinite hiatus for the ‘Spokescandies’.” Her place will be taken by a person that all of America can agree on – actress Maya Rudolph.
Rudolph, 50, has appeared in Hollywood films and television series, but is best known as a comedian on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Bloomberg describes her as a darling of liberal America, which raises the question of what motives were actually behind the action. Does Mars really want to appease the conservative sneaker haters or is it more about attracting attention in the run-up to the Super Bowl on February 12th. That’s when Maya Rudolph makes his debut as M&M’s face in a television commercial that will be seen by millions of Americans.
Sources: M&M’s Instagram channel / Mars / Bloomberg / Tucker Carlson at Fox News