(CNN) – Earlier this 12 months, Mars shocked the Web when it launched a brand new search for its M&M’S characters. Gone are Inexperienced’s iconic go-go boots, changed by sneakers. on-line, chaos ensued.
Now, M&M’S makes one other, larger change — this time including an entire new character to the combo. Meet the purple one: she’s a peanut, sings and does not put on excessive heels (she has lace-up sports activities boots).
The purple peanut M&M is the primary new character in 10 years, in line with the model.
“Purple has been round for a really very long time, years,” stated Jane Hwang, international vp of M&M’S. “This was about ensuring that the entire crew, the entire solid, mirrored the world we dwell in.”
Purple has a particular character – quirky, assured and just a bit clumsy. Her debut comes with the tune “I am Simply Gonna Be Me,” which may be seen in a video on-line and streamed on platforms together with Spotify and Apple Music.
Nevertheless, that does not imply purple M&M’s are available in baggage of peanut M&M’S.
The brand new character will seem in shops, on the M&M’S web site and on some limited-edition packaging, Hwang stated. And clients will be capable of purchase purple M&M’s on-line, an choice that was already out there. However in terms of a daily bag of peanut M&M’S, purple followers are out of luck.
It might be a brand new supply of anger.
Within the mid-90s, individuals voted for blue to switch tan in sweet baggage. In 2002 M&M’S as soon as once more requested individuals to vote, this time for a colour that can solely be added for a restricted time. Purple received, however did not final lengthy.
On-line, individuals usually ask why aren’t there purple M&M’s. Some lament the missed alternative of the Nineteen Nineties for purple to turn into a everlasting addition to the lineup. Some even suppose the vote was rigged.
Nonetheless, the brand new character, whereas not an precise new sweet, is an acknowledgment by M&M’S that individuals crave purple.
“We have heard for a very long time that purple is unquestionably a shopper favourite,” Hwang stated.
However the model actually focuses on the characters, not the precise edible sweet, she famous.
‘Return her boots inexperienced’
When M&M’S made modifications to its character footwear earlier this 12 months, the concept was to make them extra present and related, with characters that Mars hopes will make individuals really feel like they belong. The brand new footwear was supposed to assist telegraph that message. The orange one lastly obtained a pair of lace-up footwear, the brown one obtained decrease heels, and the others additionally obtained refined modifications to their model.
However there was an enormous backlash to Inexperienced’s new pictures.
An article within the Washington Submit reported “M&M’S modifications are usually not progressive. Give Inexperienced her boots again.“U article with provocative titles, Rolling Stone described the shift as “nothing in need of tectonic.” Hundreds of individuals have signed a petition for “preserve the inexperienced M&M attractive.”
Persons are recognized to have sturdy emotions about issues on-line, particularly modifications to beloved characters. When Lola Bunny obtained a brand new search for the brand new Area Jam filmfor instance, followers have been outraged.
However for M&M’S, the response to the character makeover has been “unprecedented,” Hwang stated. “We have been extremely overwhelmed,” she famous. “Now we all know for certain that M&M’S is a cultural icon.”
So when it got here to the brand new purple character, Hwang stated, M&M’S did not keep in mind the response to Inexperienced. Purple “had nothing to do … with the feedback we noticed about Inexperienced,” she stated.
And for now, no less than, M&M’s has no plans to carry again Inexperienced’s look.
“The characters … are constantly evolving to replicate the occasions we dwell in,” Hwang stated, including that the model hopes shoppers will “get to know our characters for rather more than their footwear.”
Will go-go boots ever make a comeback? Hwang slyly replied, “You by no means know.”
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