(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) M&M’s, the beloved candy brand owned by Mars Wrigley, announced Monday that it would take an “indefinite pause” from displaying its controversial cartoon “spokescandies,” the Daily Wire reported.
Earlier in January, the company had announced a plan to “to create a world where everyone feels they belong and society is inclusive” by diversifying the M&M characters—specifically to empower its “female” candy characters.
But M&M’s tweeted a statement on Monday backing off of the initial advertising campaign announcement.
A message from M&M'S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o
— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023
“America, let’s talk,” the statement said. “In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our spokescandies. We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn’t think it would break the internet. But now we get it—even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing.”
The company said it planned to replace the candy characters with former Saturday Night Live comedienne Maya Rudolph, “a spokesperson America can agree on.”
“We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong,” said the statement.
Backlash to the politically correct marketing gimmick garnered steam after the changes were brought to light by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
“M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous—until the moment when you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them,” Carlson said.
“That’s the goal,” he continued. “When you’re totally turned off, we’ve achieved equity. They’ve won.”
Carlson noted that the candy company already had made some concessions to critics, but had proceeded to double-down elsewhere.
“The green M&M’s got her boots back but apparently is now a lesbian, maybe, and there is also a plus-sized, obese purple M&M’s,” he said. “So we’re going to cover that, of course. Because that’s what we do.”
