23 January 2023 , 18:55
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M&M has announced it will stop using its colourful mascots after a furious backlash to an attempt at a more inclusive branding strategy.
The company will swap mascots in different outfits and looks for actor Maya Rudolph as she is someone "America can agree on".
The multi-coloured button-shaped chocolates were the object of criticism from right-wing media including Fox News after the company announced a new campaign.
The campaign named "Flip the Status Quo", raised money to support women in creative industries and featured limited-edition candy bags with the three female "spokescandies".
When introducing the new M&M’s mascots, the company had said that the anthropomorphized characters will have "more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling."
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The company announced the branding change on social media (Twitter)Their arms and legs matched their shell colours, instead of the tan flesh tone the previous version had.
Also, two female characters wore less stereotypically feminine attire, and the brown M&M’s heels were lowered to sensible pumps.
The green M&M, instead of boots, put on a pair of "cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence".
The company had said the new look was part of its "global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong and society is inclusive."
M&M has announced it will completely shut down its mascots and replace them with an actor (M&M)Responding to the campaign, Fox News personality Tucker Carlson said: "The woke M&M’s are back. The green M&M is now a lesbian maybe and there is also a plus-sized, obese purple M&M."
At the same time, Conservative personality Nick Adams had tweeted: "Every American with half a brain should be outraged by M&M’s going woke," as "manhood is under attack like no other time in world history."
In a post on social media Monday, M&M's said: "America, let's talk. In the last year, we've made some changes to our beloved spokescandies.
"We weren't sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn't think it would break the internet.
The multi-coloured button-shaped chocolates were the object of criticism"But now we get it —even a candy's shoes can be polarizing. Which was the last thing M&M'S wanted since we're all about bringing people together.
"Therefore, we have decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies.
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"In their place, we are proud to introduce a spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph.
"We are confident Ms Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong."