M&M'S, a proud part of Mars, Incorporated, launches global platform to increase a sense of belonging for ten million people by 2025, helping to connect and celebrate one another

NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- M&M'S®, part of the Mars, Incorporated portfolio of brands, has announced a global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong, and society is inclusive. The iconic candy brand's announcement is built on more than 80 years of bringing people together with its bite-sized colorful candies and flavors and is part of the evolved M&M'S brand's strategy built on purpose, which promises to use the power of fun to include everyone, with a goal of increasing the sense of belonging for 10 million people around the world by 2025.

M&M’S has evolved its beloved characters’ personalities and backstories to be more representative of today’s society and created a fresh, modern take on their looks to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community.

"M&M'S has long been committed to creating colorful fun for all, and this purpose serves as a more concrete commitment to what we've always believed as a brand: that everyone has the right to enjoy moments of happiness, and fun is the most powerful way to help people feel that they belong," said Cathryn Sleight, Chief Growth Officer at Mars Wrigley. "As one of the world's most iconic candy brands, who better to commit to a world with more moments of fun by increasing a sense of belonging around the globe than M&M'S?"

Studies¹ 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. 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.

This year, fans of the iconic M&M'S brand will also see changes in the brand's look and feel as part of its evolution, each intended to reflect its new commitment:

• A fresh, modern take on the looks of our beloved characters and more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling
• An enhanced focus on the brand's iconic color palette and the use of different shapes and sizes of M&M'S lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we're more fun
• An added emphasis on 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
• An updated tone of voice that is more inclusive, welcoming, and unifying, while remaining rooted in our signature jester wit and humor

"We're excited to reveal our new M&M'S brand look and feel, which fans will see come to life across all M&M'S touchpoints around the globe," said Jane Hwang, Global Marketing Vice President, Mars Wrigley. "From new product innovations to brand campaigns, our evolved characters and our experiential retail stores, we'll incorporate colorful visuals, inclusive messaging and our purpose into all we do to prove that all together, we're more fun. In fact, this purpose is already on full display at the new M&M'S store in Berlin, which features multiple languages on signage as an invitation to all and our most diverse Associate base that celebrates those from different cultures, backgrounds and generations."

The new global commitment from M&M'S is just one of many actions being taken across Mars, Incorporated to create a world where society is inclusive. These include a commitment to gender balanced leadership teams, running an independent annual diversity audit of its advertising (run by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media) and its role as Vice Chair of the Unstereotype Alliance, part of UN Women, amongst others.

For more information about M&M'S new brand purpose and to see it come to life, fans can visit M&M'S on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and follow along using #ForAllFunkind or visit us at MMS.com.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M's®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN'S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA® and 5™; and take care of half of the world's pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses, including AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus and VCA™.

We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive. The Mars Compass, inspired by the Economics of Mutuality, is used to measure the company's progress in service of its purpose; The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today.

For more information about Mars, please visit mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

M&M’S will use a variety of different shapes and sizes of the brand’s iconic, colorful lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we’re more fun.