If you've been on the internet over past week, you might have seen the big M&M's controversy: They changed the shoes that the green M&M wears. A few years ago, the company changed Ms. Green's go-go boots to strappy stilettos. Now she's been downgraded to regular sneakers. It's a big deal. It's not really that it took away the fun style she had (we all know big business loves to kill fun). But why, for decades, has this company chosen to put focus on the one character that has constantly been sexualized? It's absurd how something seemingly stupid actually is representative of the larger sexist thinking—not only of a freaking chocolate company, but also the rest of the country.
And if that wasn't confusing enough, Mars has revealed today their "Album Art" collection that features three of the M&M characters depicting classic albums from David Bowie, Kacey Musgraves, H.E.R. and Rosalía. The yellow M&M pays tribute to Bowie's Aladdin Sane. The green M&M carries a fan in reference to Musgraves' Golden Hour and poses on the cover for Rosalía’s El Mal Querer. The brown M&M recreates H.E.R.'s debut album.
I can't help but think this campaign would have been more sensible if it didn't come out after the whole shoe debacle. We're told that the company is rebranding to include a "more modern take on the looks of our beloved characters," which evidently means swapping sexiness for anxiety. And now these chocolates are replacing humans who have become global sex symbols on album covers. And now these chocolates are replacing humans, who the industry turns into global sex symbols, on their album covers. Got it.
The questions about my perception toward humans and candy is breaking my brain. I have to breathe and remind myself that a chocolate company pandering to wokeness is something that really should not take up this much real estate in my mind.
