M&M's Replaces 'Spokescandies' With Maya Rudolph, News Garners Mixed Reactions

'Even a candy’s shoes can polarizing.'

From the looks of it, M&M's iconic mascots are receiving a major makeover, and the brand is tapping Maya Rudolph to aid in the change.

On Jan. 23, Mars, Inc., the beloved candy brand's parent company, issued a statement regarding recent modifications it has made to its ever-popular "spokescandies"—some of which, apparently, ruffled a few feathers.

"America, let's talk. In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies. We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn’t think it would break the internet. But now we get it — even a candy’s shoes can polarizing. Which was the last thing M&M’S wanted since we’re all about bringing people together," the social media note read.

In the communication, which was posted to Twitter, the corporation also announced the temporary shelving of its mascots, sharing it chose a new face to represent the brand.

"Therefore, we have decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies. In their place, we are proud to introduce a spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph. We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong," it continued.

The new direction garnered mixed reactions from the public, with some praising the move and others confused about the switch-up.

Some made jokes about the choice, with one Twitter user mentioning the name of another celebrity who could have stepped into the role. "Maya Rudolph is a living legend, but I'm genuinely curious if they considered Eminem because... well... you know," they questioned.

"People at M&M’s headquarters after making the Maya Rudolph announcement knowing it would make people even more upset," another added.

Another user echoed that sentiment, calling out racism with, "I don't think they realize that the people mad about the color of an m&m will also be mad at the color of maya rudolph."

Others pointed out the obvious cultural war this whole debacle has prompted, after some public divisive discourse allegedly split fans.

"M&M-hating conservatives trying to turn their negativity towards Maya Rudolph," one penned alongside a comical meme, as another wrote: "Tucker Carlson was sexually confused by the M&Ms cartoons so the M&Ms company decided to make Maya Rudolph their official spokesman. This is a real thing that happened in the history of our existence as a species."

On the other hand, some users directed the conversation away from politics completely, theorizing that the brand made the move as a pre-curser to draw hype for an upcoming Super Bowl ad slot.

"M&Ms 1000% has an absolutely insane Super Bowl ad lined up where the spokescandies plan a heist with Maya Rudolph," someone suggested, with another saying it's a "brilliant marketing play."

The brand recently found itself in the middle of a public uproar when its promotional cartoon characters, which have been the focus of partisan backlash, were updated. Figures on the political right, including Tucker Carlson of Fox News, have criticized the candy as “Woke M&M’s,” mentioning a series of cosmetic tweaks in recent years.

Earlier this month, when the purple M&M was revealed, the brand said it was "celebrating women across the country who are flipping the status quo," to which an irate and flustered Carlson loathed, "The green M&M’s got her boots back but apparently is now a lesbian, maybe, and there is also a plus-sized, obese purple M&M’s."

Whatever the "official" reason for the brand's shift, here's to hoping that we can keep fictional candy characters... well, fictional, and move toward a truly more inclusive world.