Mars-owned M&M’s kicks off campaign to celebrate women ‘flipping the script’

Mars Inc.’s M&M’s is celebrating fierce, fearless females in a very sweet way.

In advance of International Women’s Day on March 8, the popular brand is unveiling limited edition packaging that features its trio of female “spokescandies,” Purple, Brown and Green, as a way to recognize women “who are flipping the status quo,” the New Jersey-based candymaker said in a Jan. 5 press release.

M&M’s has also committed to donate $1 from every special pack sold, for a total of $500,000, to support women via strategic partnerships with nonprofits We Are Moving the Needle and She Is The Music. 

Additional donations totaling $300,000 outside of the limited-edition packaging will be made to organizations including Female Founder Collective and Geena Davis Institute On Gender In Media, according to Mars.

As part of the campaign, the candy giant is inviting M&M’ fans to go online and nominate women in their lives who are shaking things up for the better. Winners will receive a chance to be featured on the candy’s platforms, as well as a $10,000 grant to “further fund their flip,” Mars said.

Submissions will be accepted through Jan. 15 and 10 winners will be revealed on International Women’s Day.

“The M&M’S brand is on a mission to use the power of fun to create purposeful connections, as we work to create a world where everyone feels they belong,” said Gabrielle Wesley, chief marketing officer, Mars Wrigley North America. “Women all over the world are flipping how they define success and happiness while challenging the status quo, so we’re thrilled to be able to recognize and celebrate them – and who better to help us on that mission than our own powerhouse spokescandies Green, Brown and Purple?”

Additionally, M&M’s teamed up with six female creators within the pop culture space who will create original content inspired by each of the female spokescandies.

Collaborators include Aint Afraid (hip-hop artists/twin sisters), Ashlee Muhammad (streetwear designer), Barbiana Liu (creative director and designer), Ledania (LGBTQ Colombian graffiti artist) and Liz Marek (realistic cake sculptor).