Famous characters will temporarily disappear from TV commercials.
The Mars Corporation has decided to temporarily abandon the use of the image of spokescandies in its advertising. According to the company, due to the adverse reaction of users to the updated pictures of spokescandies, the famous characters will disappear from TV screens.
The new official representative of the brand in TV advertising will temporarily be American actress and comedian Maya Rudolph. She will appear, among other things, in a new video that will be filmed especially for the Super Bowl.
M&M's updated its spokescandies in 2022, including changing the characters' wardrobe items, voices, and demeanors. It also decided to ditch the "Miss" and "Mister" titles and make the female characters more gender-neutral. The company said it focused on "the importance of self-expression" to provide "a fresh, modern take on the appearance of beloved characters." The updates have sparked criticism from users in the United States.
"Over the past year, we've made some changes to our beloved spokescandies. We weren't sure anyone would even notice. And we certainly didn't think it would break the internet. But now we realize — even candy shoes can be divisive. That's the last thing M&M's wanted, since we're all about bringing people together," M&M's said.
It is known that the "talking candies" will still remain on the brand's website and social networks. However, whether they will return to advertising in their previous form or undergo another rebirth remains in question.
