M&M's 'spokescandies' return after short hiatus with LGBT, gendered and racial equity partnerships

M&M's has brought back its "spokescandies," just three weeks after pausing its marketing campaign that saw backlash for introducing a female-focused candy product line.

A Super Bowl advertisement announced the return of the mascots, and the Mars-owned company quickly launched a new web page to celebrate its new partnerships.

"We believe in the power of fun to bring people together. Over the past year, the conversation around our iconic spokescandies reached new heights but at times got a bit 'lively'," the candy website reads.

"Now, we can get on with what we are here to do: create a world where everyone feels they belong," the text reads, before launching into its partnerships.

Included in the campaigns the company has "contributed millions to" are organizations such as True Colors United. This organization aims to specifically assist "LGBTQ young people" who are homeless.

"In the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers. True Colors United is committed to changing that," their website claims.

We Are Moving the Needle, another partner of M&M's, promotes "equity and inclusion" for women in the recording industry.

"We Are Moving The Needle will work to close the gender gap and bring equity and inclusion to the present recording industry," the about page states.

The organization also points to a study that shows that "only 2 % of the producers and audio engineers" in the industry are women, but acknowledges shortly thereafter that the study only "accumulated its findings based off of a male/female gender binary" and as such reminds readers that they are "designed to be forward-facing with inclusion in mind and invites all people to participate."

Other partnerships include She Is the Music, which touts "equality, inclusivity and opportunity for women in music."

Another is Switchboard, an "LGBT+ helpline," as well as the Asian Cultural Council, which seeks to "create a more harmonious and peaceful world" through cultural exchanges. The council was founded in 1963 by John D. Rockefeller III.

M&M's "for all funkind" page also makes note of past accomplishments such as the aforementioned all-female mascot packaging, as well as a March 2022 initiative called Projekt Open Mic. The stated goal of the project was to "make the German comedy scene more inclusive."

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