M&M's Redesigns Its Characters' Looks and Personalities to Be 'Representative of Today's Society'

M&Ms

M&M's is taking "new year, new you" to a whole new level.

On Thursday, candy maker Mars, Incorporated announced that their beloved M&M's characters would be getting a makeover in 2022, with "a fresh, modern take" on their design and "more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling."

Their new look will help bring the characters into a "more dynamic, progressive world," Mars said.

"We took a deep look at our characters, both inside and out, and have evolved their look, personalities and backstories to be more representative of today's society," a brand representative explained. "As the world changes, so do we."

The changes are rolling out across M&M's digital marketing now and will be incorporated into the brand's packaging throughout the year.

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Looking at the new characters next to the old, the change is subtle.

Each character's unique shape has been more defined, and their color palette refined — moving from a tan color on their arms and legs to a more universal clearer hue, slightly tinted for each to match their shell.

The most notable changes are to the brown and green M&M's, the two female characters. Both have new footwear — brown's pumps lowered to a more sensible height and green's white heeled go-go boots changed out for what Mars calls "cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence."

Other changes across the characters can be seen in their shoes, too. Red and Yellow now have laces on their kicks, while Orange now has his laces tied.

With their new accessories come tweaked personalities, M&M's giving them "an updated tone of voice that is more inclusive, welcoming, and unifying, while remaining rooted in our signature jester wit and humor."

Brown and Green, who had been seen at odds with each other in previous advertisements, will now have a more friendly relationship, the duo "together throwing shine and not shade." Orange, traditionally shown as anxious, will "embrace his true self, worries and all." And Red, often the bully of the bunch, will be kinder moving forward.

All of the character will also have prefixes removed from their names in order to focus on "their personalities, rather than their gender." And they've got new poses "to be more inviting and welcoming so everyone feels as though they are a part of the crew and fans will see more characters featured together in group shots and with each other, making anyone feel invited."

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Aside from the character shifts, M&M's has made a slight adjustment to its logo.

Previously shown on a diagonal, the logo is now being set up straight to emphasize the ampersand — a "distinctive element within the M&M's logo that serves to connect the two Ms to demonstrate how the brand aims to bring people together."

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This is all a part of M&M's new "global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong, and society is inclusive."

They're hoping to increase the sense of belonging for 10 million people around the world by 2021.

"Studies show our desire to belong is as strong as our desire to be loved, and that desire is common for all people irrespective of culture, race, ethnicity, geography, or location," the brand said in their release. "M&M's used this insight to create the M&M's FUNd to track the brand's impact on our mission, which will offer resources, mentorship, opportunities and financial support in the arts and entertainment space to help ensure people have access to experiences where everyone feels they belong."

"Join us in being for all funkind!" they added on Instagram.