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I think most people like M&M’s. If you don’t like the plain ones, you probably like the peanut…or vice versa. If you don’t like either of those there is a specialty version like the pretzel, or the coconut, or maybe the dark chocolate but M&M’s fall into the small category of products that do not necessarily need to be advertised.
What else doesn’t need to be advertised? Coca- Cola, Lays plain potato chips, most all creams and ointments that involve any type of itching, Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème pies and Hershey’s chocolates.
If the decision makers at Hershey decide they will no longer be advertising M&M’s entirely, I would be willing to bet no fewer people would buy M&M’s. In fact, maybe more would because the latest commercial introducing Maya Rudolph as the new spokesperson – or if you rather – the new face of M&M’s – is kind of gross. M&M’s do not require a spokesperson.
Maybe they should pause all advertising campaigns until…well, for now maybe just leave it at an indefinite until. Until things change perhaps, or humor evolves a little further, but putting Maya Rudolph’s picture on M&M’s and making reference to eating face – whether it is just a joke introducing her as the new comedian spokesperson, or if they are actually going to print her face on every M&M – is probably not going to be a marketing jewel.
She is lovely and talented and I guess if anybody wants to have the mindset of eating somebody’s face hers is as good as anybody else’s but I am not convinced references to eating face stimulates appetites.
I can’t remember not being a devoted fan of the M&M. But I do not want to think about eating Maya Rudolph’s face when I have M&M’s. I agree that most everybody likes her. I also think most people would pass on eating her face – even if she is giddy about the idea of it all. Maybe that is supposed to be part of the humor too – that her wanting everybody to eat her face, may not at all make anybody want to eat her face.
Left to their own, people will eat M&M’s. The Hershey higher-ups need not worry. Generations of people have enjoyed this candy. They never had to give them personalities. They never had to add the blue one or bring the red ones back. The colors do not matter, maybe they could print that on the back of every M&M. Or just leave them alone. Put the little m on it to distinguish it from imposters and be done with it.
I would venture to guess the Hershey executives are the only people in the world who potentially huddle around a boardroom table weighing how to attract more people to M&M’s. Meanwhile the rest of us are trying to figure out how to stay away from them. They never had to turn M&M’s into characters. They never had to put go-go boots on the green one, or attempt to make her more woke by changing the boots to sneakers.
All they have to do is offer the same recipe as always, have it fresh, available, and affordable.
They could help keep them more affordable by not feeling obligated to print pictures on the back of each one. That can’t be cost-effective.
Kids, cravings, and hormones are going to keep consumers of M&M’s returning. That is the beauty of the M&M. No face required.
Amanda Walker is a columnist and contributor with AL.com, The Birmingham News, Selma Times Journal, Thomasville Times, West Alabama Watchman, and Alabama Gazette. Contact her at Walkerworld77@msn.com or at www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker. Columnist.
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