Reynand Wu
Over the course of the past year, the iconic M&M’s spokescandies have transcended their role as mere confectionery ambassadors, becoming an unlikely focal point in a fervent national debate spanning news cycles, social media platforms, and even prime-time Super Bowl advertisements. This unexpected journey began in January 2022 when Mars Wrigley, the confectionery giant behind the beloved chocolate-coated candies, announced a series of subtle but symbolically charged changes to the appearance of its female mascots. The brown M&M, long depicted with high heels, had her footwear shortened, while the green M&M, known for her go-go boots, saw them replaced with practical sneakers. These adjustments, Mars Wrigley stated, were part of a broader push towards more inclusive and representative marketing, aiming to foster a sense of belonging for all consumers.
What followed these seemingly minor aesthetic alterations was a surprisingly intense and widespread public outcry, quickly escalating into a full-blown "culture war." The controversy gained significant traction when conservative media personality Tucker Carlson, then a host on Fox News, became a prominent voice of the backlash. Carlson derided the changes, stating, "M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous." This sentiment echoed across various conservative outlets, framing the brand’s move as an capitulation to "woke" ideology and an attack on traditional gender representations.
The criticism, however, was not monolithic. From a different ideological vantage point, senior writer EJ Dickson penned an article for Rolling Stone titled, "Let the Green M&M Be a Nasty Little Slut," articulating a critique that lamented the perceived desexualization of the character. Dickson argued, "The green M&M has spent decades building her brand as a horny, sexy bitch, and for what? For her creators to give her Larry David footwear in the name of feminism?" This perspective, while also critical of Mars Wrigley’s decision, highlighted the complex and often contradictory expectations placed upon female characters in media, particularly concerning their perceived sexuality and agency.
A Timeline of the M&M’s Mascot Evolution and Controversy:
- January 2022: Mars Wrigley announces an update to the M&M’s characters, aiming for a more "inclusive" and "modern" look. Key changes include the Green M&M swapping her high-heeled boots for sneakers and the Brown M&M’s heels becoming lower. The company states its goal is to create a "more dynamic, progressive world where everyone feels they belong."
- Early 2022 (Post-Announcement): The initial changes trigger widespread debate. Conservative media, led by figures like Tucker Carlson, criticizes the redesigns as "woke" and an attempt to make the characters "less appealing" and "androgynous." Online discussions explode across social media platforms, with both support and condemnation for Mars Wrigley’s move.
- September 2022: In a further step towards inclusivity, Mars Wrigley introduces the Purple M&M, the brand’s first new female character in a decade. Designed to represent "acceptance and inclusivity," Purple’s debut is accompanied by a musical single and a campaign promoting self-acceptance.
- Late 2022 (Post-Purple Debut): The introduction of the Purple M&M reignites the "culture war." Tucker Carlson renews his criticism, remarking on FOX News, "The green M&M got her boots back, but apparently is now a lesbian maybe? And now there’s a plus-sized, obese purple M&M." These comments intensify the debate, linking the characters’ appearances to broader discussions about body image, sexual orientation, and perceived political correctness in corporate branding.
- January 2023: Faced with persistent backlash and the ongoing "divisive culture" surrounding its spokescandies, Mars Wrigley announces a "temporary pause" on its M&M’s characters as brand spokespeople. The company issues a statement acknowledging the difficulty of pleasing everyone and its intention not to create division.
- January 2023 (Cont.): Following the "pause" announcement, Mars Wrigley introduces acclaimed comedian and actress Maya Rudolph as the new human spokesperson for the brand. Rudolph subsequently stars in a Super Bowl LVII commercial for M&M’s, further cementing the shift away from the animated mascots for a period.
Mars Wrigley’s decision to temporarily suspend its beloved spokescandies in early 2023 and introduce a human spokesperson like Maya Rudolph underscores the intensity of the public discourse. The company’s statement, acknowledging, "We are not sure if anyone will ever be able to please everyone. And we definitely didn’t intend to create a divisive culture," revealed the commercial pressures and reputational risks associated with navigating such charged cultural terrain. While seemingly nonsensical on the surface, the passionate reactions to candy mascots point to deeper societal anxieties and the pressure placed on women, real or animated, to conform to specific gender norms and accommodate prevailing sexual desires.
The Historical Lens: Sexualization of Women in Media and Advertising
The M&M’s controversy, while modern in its specific details, is rooted in a long and pervasive history of sexualizing female characters and products in advertising. M&M’s were neither the first nor the only commercial food product to employ gendered and often hypersexualized marketing strategies. A notable precedent can be found in the 1940s with the debut of the Chiquita Banana, the world’s first branded fruit. The original Miss Chiquita Banana character was explicitly racialized and sexualized to appeal to the American market. Her femininity was overtly emphasized through flirtatious winking, eye-rolling, and her signature frilly dresses and lipstick, all designed to imbue a tropical fruit with a captivating, alluring persona.
M&M’s has historically utilized a similar strategy, particularly with its female spokescandies. The Green M&M, in particular, became synonymous with a hypersexualized portrayal that extended beyond her attire. Commercials featuring the Green M&M often depicted her in overtly erotic scenarios, such as pole dancing, stripping, and provocatively fondling chocolate. What is more, these advertisements frequently featured the male M&M characters ogling her in the background, a visual trope that starkly reinforces the pervasive concept of the "male gaze." This sociological term describes the way women are often depicted in visual arts and literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as passive "objects" of male sexual desire, rather than as active subjects with their own agency.
Emphasized Femininity and the Male Gaze
The fervent backlash against the M&M’s redesign can be understood through the sociological concept of emphasized femininity. This term refers to a range of traditional feminine norms and behaviors that are socially constructed to complement hegemonic masculinity. These norms encourage women to accommodate men’s sexual appetites and desire for control, thereby legitimizing the existing gender hierarchy and upholding various forms of patriarchal oppression. The ideal of emphasized femininity often promotes traits such as deference, nurturing, and an aesthetic appeal designed to be attractive to men.
When the female M&M’s characters—particularly the Green M&M—became less conventionally "sexy" and departed from these stereotypical cultural notions of emphasized femininity, it created a perceived threat to those who subscribe to the ideals of hegemonic masculinity. This segment of the population felt that their sexual desires, even in relation to a candy mascot, were not being satisfied, leading to a sense of indignation and anger. As academic research suggests, when women step away from these traditional roles, men must "negotiate the dilemma of incorporating women’s resistance into their masculine identity projects." This negotiation often manifests as resistance or outright hostility.
The outrage reveals a deeper societal dynamic: women frequently face the prospect of being labeled "socially undesirable" or subjected to public criticism when they exhibit characteristics perceived as masculine or deviate from traditional feminine ideals. Tucker Carlson’s stark statement, "When you’re totally turned off, we’ve achieved equity," encapsulates this sentiment, suggesting that any move away from a sexually appealing female image is seen as a hostile act against male preferences. In a patriarchal society, when a woman (or female character) exhibits defiance, authority, or independence that challenges male dominance, men often feel threatened unless they can stigmatize and feminize her behavior. This stigmatization often involves reductive and derogatory labels, such as "bitch," "lesbian," or "slut," serving to diminish her agency and reinforce the idea that women’s value is primarily tied to their subservience to the male gaze and their ability to fulfill male desires.
The Harmful Impact of Hypersexualization on Young People
Beyond the realm of cultural commentary and academic theory, the hypersexualization of women in media carries significant and well-documented harmful impacts, particularly on young people. Adolescents’ pervasive exposure to a sexualized media environment demonstrably leads them to recognize women predominantly as sex objects. This constant barrage of imagery where women and young girls’ bodies are objectified causes them to internalize the damaging idea that their most valuable asset is their physical appearance, specifically their sexual attractiveness.
This internalization can manifest in acute self-awareness and self-objectification, where individuals begin to view and evaluate themselves primarily from an external, third-person perspective, often based on societal beauty standards. They become acutely aware that they are frequently seen as "sexual playthings waiting to please men’s sexual desires," and may develop feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness if they do not meet these often unattainable societal standards. The implications are profound for mental health, body image, and self-esteem. It is particularly jarring when children, at their most impressionable, observe that even the seemingly innocuous candy they consume is imbued with sexualized connotations, sending a confusing and potentially damaging message about how women are valued and portrayed in the world around them.
Corporate Responsibility, Brand Identity, and the Culture War’s Real Stakes
The M&M’s controversy serves as a microcosm of larger battles being fought in the public sphere over corporate social responsibility, brand identity, and the pervasive "culture wars." Companies like Mars Wrigley are increasingly navigating a complex landscape where consumers expect brands not only to sell products but also to align with evolving societal values, particularly concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Data consistently shows that younger generations, in particular, are more likely to support brands that demonstrate a commitment to social causes. However, this pursuit of inclusivity can sometimes clash with traditional brand imagery and, as seen with M&M’s, provoke a backlash from segments of the population who perceive these changes as an imposition of "woke" politics.
The "culture war" waged against M&M’s, while superficially ludicrous, highlights the potent power of symbols and narratives in shaping public discourse. What appears to be a debate about candy mascots is, in reality, a proxy battle for deeply held beliefs about gender roles, societal progress, and who gets to define cultural norms. The real-world implications extend far beyond marketing budgets. When prominent public figures and media outlets amplify these controversies, they contribute to a climate where seemingly minor aesthetic changes become politicized, and the struggle for more equitable representation is framed as an attack on tradition or an overreach of "political correctness."
Ultimately, the M&M’s saga underscores the urgent need for a critical examination of how women are portrayed in advertising and media. The vicious cycle of sexualizing women, whether they are human models or animated mascots, for profit must be confronted. Furthermore, prominent figures in media and politics bear a responsibility to recognize that using the oppression or marginalization of others as a "punchline" or a tool for manufactured outrage has tangible, negative consequences for societal progress and individual well-being. The shifting sands of sweetness in the M&M’s universe reflect deeper, ongoing transformations in our understanding of gender, power, and representation, reminding us that even the smallest changes can ignite significant conversations.
