M&Ms characters to become more inclusive

As part of a “global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong, and society is inclusive,” Mars Incorporated is revamping the personalities and appearances of its six beloved M&M’s characters, according to a Thursday press release.

The M&M’s brand will use “different shapes and sizes of M&M’S lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we’re more fun.” In addition, the lentils will have “more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling.”

The most notable changes include the green M&M’s redesign, which will exchange the white heeled go-go boots she was given in 1997 for “cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence.” Mars had received criticism for the green M&M’s sexy characterization. The green M&M will also be “better represented to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a strong female, and known for much more than her boots.”

The green M&M and the brown M&M will have a more friendly relationship, showcasing a “force supporting women.” The two characters’ dynamic will have them “together throwing shine and not shade,” the company said. The two characters have sometimes been at odds in advertisements, but they have also been seen as friends — or more than friends in others, like this viral tweet from 2015 showing the two holding hands on a beach.

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Mars also added that the brown M&M’s heels will be lowered to a professional heel height.

The orange M&M, who has an anxious personality, will “embrace his true self, worries and all.” But the orange M&M’s shoe laces will now be tied to represent his cautious nature. According to Mars, the orange M&M is “one of the most relatable characters with Gen-Z,” which is the “most anxious generation.”

The red M&M, who has shown bully tendencies in the past, will be more kind to his co-characters.

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Mars will also include imagery of M&Ms of all shapes and sizes, moving away from only one body size, and it will remove the prefixes from the characters’ names in order to focus on “their personalities, rather than their gender.” Currently, only the brown M&M has a prefix — Ms. Brown — on the M&M