If there is any moment in time when you shouldn’t have a branding identity crisis, it would be during the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that was the case for the popular chocolate brand, M&M’s, which released two bizarre and confusing ads during the sporting event.
To recap, it was announced back in late January that Maya Rudolph will be the newest spokesperson for M&M’s due to controversy and outrage about changing the Green M&M’s shoes from heels to flats. Let’s not forget the infamous Tucker Carlson rant when he complained how the chocolates were “no longer sexy.” Since Rudolph is now the new face for the brand, this meant that new M&M’s chocolates will have Rudolph’s face printed on them, a bizarre decision, for sure.
Then came the Super Bowl, where M&M’s released its newest ad starring Rudolph. The ad featured a new packaging called “Ma&Ya’s” and showed what the newest chocolates looked like. It also introduced a new flavor — clams. Yes, clam-flavored chocolate. As seen in the ad, nobody wanted it.
In a weird twist of fate, M&M’s changed its decision right at the end of the Super Bowl, announcing that the original spokescandies are back. What’s going on here?
Some wondered if the whole “Maya Rudolph becoming the new face of the brand” was just a big stunt to get everyone’s attention to the chocolate brand. But let’s be real — it worked, didn’t it? Everyone was surprised that our favorite animated chocolate candies were leaving, and people are relieved that they are back.
Now, let’s hope that Tucker Carlson doesn’t get triggered once more about fictional chocolate characters, but he probably will.
