The candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hand, has a big birthday this year. That’s right, M&M’s turn 75 in 2016! We can all hope to age as well as these colorful candies have. Not only in the looks department, but also in the likeability area. People love these little chocolate pieces so much that there are now flavors and combinations which appeal to a wide variety of people. The types of M&M’s that you can buy have changed and evolved over time, as has the way Mars has marketed the candy. On this Throwback Thursday, let’s take a look at some of the ways Mars convinced us that our hands aren’t as happy without a pile of M&M’s in them.
This is one of the first M&M’s commercials, if you couldn’t tell by the black and white video. The slogan of melting in your mouth and not your hand is pushed really hard. And it works, because in black and white, melted chocolate looks really gross. The mascots themselves have aged well, too, as M&M’s turns 75. The ‘m’ is a little too prominent on these ancestors of the mascots we know today, so much so that it almost resembles a mask of sorts. One thing’s for sure, I need to find a chocolate-filled pool like the peanut M&M gracefully jumps into.
Re-mixing the classic song “The Candy Man Can” like a boss, the M&M Man is who we have to thank for one of our favorite candies. Without him and his candy-coating shower, M&M’s would just be circular pieces of chocolate following around a singing guy wearing a top hat. He does kind of seem like a jerk, though. That poor peanut was enjoying the beautiful day, sun-bathing, and the M&M Man just trots over and flings him in his chocolate-filled pool. I guess it’s not the worst thing he could do. Peanut M&M’s are the best, after all.
This 1987 M&M commercial recaps an M&M’s worst nightmare; not having their candy coating. Although today’s yellow M&M character has a unique voice, both of the M&M’s in this commercial have southern accents. The peanut M&M even has what appears to be a moonshine jug next to his chair. Even though M&M’s turns 75 this year, let’s hope they still know how to party like they did in the 80s. They should count their lucky stars for that candy coating or else they’d always have to vacation where there’s snow.
This commercial needed to be on the list because: 1.) the list wouldn’t be complete without the modern M&M’s we know and love and 2.) writing this article has made me wish that there was a group of M&M’s hiding in my cupboard. The orange M&M has something to learn, though, if he doesn’t want to be eaten. Don’t hold the perfect accompaniment to an M&M (a pretzel) if you don’t want to be eaten next!