In a sadly divided world, it’s refreshing when a brand promotes inclusivity. M&M’S, everyone’s favorite bite-sized colorful candy, has recently announced not only a new look and feel but also a promise to bring people together through their refreshed brand strategy designed by Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR).
“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 for Mars Wrigley, in a press release. “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.”
The brand tapped into the idea that every person has an innate desire to feel a sense of belonging. Because of this, the brand will work to help the world feel like a more welcoming place where everyone can, and should, belong.
Beginning this year, M&M lovers will start to see changes in the brand’s look in feel, including an emphasis surrounding the brand’s ampersand, as nothing says inclusivity better than the beloved conjunction symbol, which is already such a massive piece of the M&M’S puzzle. The ampersand will be highlighted throughout the new system as it’s a wildly distinguishable feature from the brand’s logo, and it functions as a way to connect the two “M’s.” … Additionally, the brand refresh will allow space for all of the different M&M’s, regardless of shape and color, to be featured and recognized through the visuals, pushing the theme of inclusivity further and more visually.
The candy-coated treat also gets a further nod to the theme of “connection” with a more inclusive tone of voice for the brand, plus an update to their cherished characters through a lens of self-expression. JKR even went the additional mile of designing a typeface for M&M’s dubbed, of course, “All Together Serif.”
The work that JKR has designed for M&M’s is a welcomed refresh; enhancing the brand through positivity and connection is more than welcomed in the era of what feels very much like the opposite. JKR did a fantastic job of keeping the brand’s look and feel utterly authentic while still evolving the brand forward.
