M&M's

M&M's are small, milk chocolate candy pieces popular in the United States and in many other countries around the world. They are produced by Mars Incorporated. M&M's have recognizable "spokescandies" which appear in comical commercials; the most popular of these are the team of cynical and sardonic "Red", who is the mascot for plain M&M's and happy and gullible "Yellow", who is the mascot for peanut M&M's. Other mascots include Blue for almond, Green for peanut butter, the only female mascot for M&M's, and Crispy for "Crispy M&M's," who is the only mascot not to be named after its color. These are voiced by Billy West, J.K. Simmons, Robb Pruitt, Cree Summer, and Eric Kirchberger respectively.

Advertising

Steven Spielberg originally approached Mars with the idea of product placement of M&M's in his upcoming movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Mars declined the offer. Spielberg later approached the Hershey Chocolate Company with the idea to use Reese's Pieces instead. They agreed, and their sales tripled a week after the movie premiered.

Related Topics:
Steven Spielberg - Product placement - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Hershey Chocolate Company - Reese's Pieces

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One of the commercials for the "Help the M&Ms Find their Colors" contest used elements from The Wizard of Oz, with someone impersonating Judy Garland's voice, with her mouth timed almost exactly to her lines.

Related Topics:
The Wizard of Oz - Judy Garland

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The hard rock band Van Halen's now infamous contract rider called for, among other things, a bowl of M&M's backstage, but with provision that all the brown candies must be removed. According to snopes.com, "The M&M's provision was included in Van Halen's contracts not as an act of caprice, but because it served a practical purpose: to provide an easy way of determining whether the technical specifications of the contract had been thoroughly read (and complied with)."

Related Topics:
Hard rock - Van Halen - Backstage - Snopes.com

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NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler currently has a sponsorship with Mars. His racecar is decorated with pictures of M&M's.

Related Topics:
NASCAR - Nextel Cup Series - Elliott Sadler

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In 1997, Mars began a "Find the Gray Imposter M&M game" in which a customer that found a gray M&M in his or her package would be offered a cash prize of one million dollars (fifty thousand in the UK). Attorney Aron Robinson filed suit against the corporation, charging that the game confused customers that found uncoated candies that looked gray. The suit was dismissed.http://promomagazine.com/news/marketing_classaction_suits_mcd/

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In early 2005, M&M's released "limited edition" Star Wars-themed candies, tied to the opening of the Revenge of the Sith in May 2005. The limited-edition candies included a Darth Vader dark chocolate variety.

Related Topics:
2005 - Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith - May - Darth Vader - Dark chocolate

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Will & Grace star Megan Mullally starred (and sung) in TV ads for M&M's in 2004 and 2005.

Related Topics:
Will & Grace - Megan Mullally - TV - 2004 - 2005

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