The purple M&M controversy refers to the backlash over Mars Inc’s 2022 decision to redesign the purple female M&M to appear more gender neutral. The purple M&M, originally introduced in 1995, had heels, long eyelashes, and a flirty pose. In January 2022, Mars announced the purple M&M would be getting a more “inclusive” redesign with a pair of white sneakers instead of high heels and holding a pose with arms crossed instead of the previous flirty stance.
This change sparked outrage among some conservative voices who claimed it showed “woke” culture was trying to make traditionally feminine characters more masculine. The controversy became a flashpoint in the larger cultural debate over gender norms and representation.
Background on M&Ms
M&Ms are colorful button-shaped chocolate candies produced by Mars Inc. They were first introduced in 1941 and originally came in five colors – brown, red, yellow, green and orange. Over the years new colors have been added and some retired. The current lineup includes blue, red, orange, green, yellow, brown and purple M&Ms.
In 1995, Mars introduced Ms. Brown, Ms. Green, Ms. Orange, Ms. Red, Ms. Yellow and Ms. Blue – essentially anthropomorphized M&M characters with arms, legs, shoes and personalities. The female M&M characters had high heels, full lipstick, long lashes and poses seen as flirty or feminine. Ms. Purple joined in 1997 and was depicted in a similar bombshell style as the other female M&Ms.
2022 Redesign
In January 2022, Mars announced a more “progressive” redesign of the M&M characters to be more inclusive, provide nuanced personalities and as a way to “underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community.”
Part of this redesign included changes to the female purple, brown and green M&M characters. Their shoes were changed from high heels to lower block heels or sneakers. Makeup was toned down. Poses became less flirty and more confident and authentic to empower women.
The purple M&M underwent the most noticeable change. She was previously posed with a hand on her hip and one knee bent. Her eyelashes were long and lips full. In the redesign she has a pair of white sneakers, arms crossed and a more neutral rather than flirty expression. Her makeup is toned down as well.
| Original Purple M&M | 2022 Redesign |
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Backlash from Conservatives
The redesigns sparked significant criticism among conservative pundits and Fox News hosts who saw the changes as bending to “woke” politics and an attempt to make traditionally feminine characters androgynous or masculine.
Commentator Ben Shapiro tweeted “M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous. Until the moment you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them. That’s the goal.”
Fox News host Tucker Carlson devoted a segment on his show to mocking the redesign. He sarcastically asked “M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous. Until the moment you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them. That’s the goal.”
Other conservative voices echoed this sentiment across social media platforms. The overall reaction was that Mars was giving in to “woke cancel culture” and trying to make female M&M characters more masculine to appease liberal demands. Making traditionally feminine figures adopt more gender neutral stances was seen as an attack on femininity itself.
Mars’ Response
Mars defended the redesign in multiple statements saying they want their characters to represent an inclusive society. A Mars spokesperson said:
“Our ambition is to up end the expected, break through barriers, and provoke conversations. Representation matters, and our brand should reflect the more dynamic, progressive world we live in.”
They explained the M&M characters were created to represent different personalities, not genders, and that the redesigns aim to make their traits and stories more representative of their personalities. Mars said the characters – including the female M&Ms – remain defiantly feminine.
The company noted in another statement that the redesigns “were made to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a powerful expression of femininity.” They reiterated the changes were meant to invite more people to enjoy M&Ms.
Ongoing Controversy
In the weeks and months after the initial backlash, the purple M&M redesign remained a touchpoint among conservatives as a symbol of “woke” brands erasing femininity. Voices on the right continued using it as an example of so-called cancel culture gone too far in modern politics and marketing.
On the other side, some progressive groups praised Mars for updating the M&M characters in a more inclusive and less stereotypical way. However, other left-leaning critics felt the redesigns did not go far enough and the characters still relied on tropes.
The purple M&M specifically continues to be singled out on social media and right-wing outlets about whether the redesign was necessary or an overcorrection. Memes and jokes about “purple haired M&Ms” and Mars giving in to “SJWs” remain common attacks by those upset over the change.
Impact on Sales
It remains to be seen if the controversy and redesign will have any lasting impact on M&M’s brand and sales. Mars Inc reported that M&M’s had a record high $3.2 billion in global sales in 2021, representing a 7.3% jump from the previous year.
However, threats of boycotts from vocal critics on social media left some wondering if it would affect M&M’s bottom line. Mars does not report sales figures for specific candy products and has not revealed if M&M sales were influenced by the redesign backlash.
Some analysts argue that Mars likely expected some controversy but see more benefit in appealing to younger progressive consumers even if it alienates some on the right. The brand awareness from making headlines likely outweighs any sales drop from critics no longer buying M&Ms. Surveys also show younger demographics are not necessarily turned off by brands acknowledging social issues.
Only time will tell if Mars’ gamble pays off or alienates a portion of M&M fans. But the purple M&M’s transformation into a more gender neutral character will likely remain hotly debated in the culture wars for the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
The controversy over the purple M&M’s redesign exemplifies how even subtle marketing changes for candy brands can become flashpoints in society’s debates over gender norms. Mars tried to update M&M characters in a more inclusive way but faced outrage from conservatives claiming the attempt stripped traditionally feminine figures of their identity.
While Mars defends the changes as empowering women and expanding their customer base, the new purple M&M design remains a touchstone for grievances over “woke” culture supposedly infiltrating beloved brands. The long-term impact on M&M’s sales and brand perception remains uncertain. But the purple M&M will likely continue sparking debate about gender representation in marketing campaigns for years to come.
