The Bee, or Not the Bee

M&M characters redesigned for a "more dynamic, progressive world," Mars announces


M&M's iconic characters — six different colored "lentils," each with their own personality — have gotten a modern makeover for a "more dynamic, progressive world," Mars said Thursday. The redesign is focused on creating a sense of belonging and community, as well as spotlighting the character's "personalities, rather than their gender."

The most notable changes include the green M&M's redesign, which will exchange the white heeled go-go boots she was given in 1997 for "cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence." Mars had received criticism for the green M&M's sexy characterization. The green M&M will also be "better represented to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a strong female, and known for much more than her boots."

The green M&M and the brown M&M will have a more friendly relationship, showcasing a "force supporting women." The two characters' dynamic will have them "together throwing shine and not shade," the company said. The two characters have sometimes been at odds in advertisements, but they have also been seen as friends — or more than friends in others, like this viral tweet from 2015 showing the two holding hands on a beach.

Mars also added that the brown M&M's heels will be lowered to a professional heel height.

The orange M&M, who has an anxious personality, will "embrace his true self, worries and all." But the orange M&M's shoe laces will now be tied to represent his cautious nature. According to Mars, the orange M&M is "one of the most relatable characters with Gen-Z," which is the "most anxious generation."

The red M&M, who has shown bully tendencies in the past, will be more kind to his co-characters.

Mars will also include imagery of M&Ms of all shapes and sizes, moving away from only one body size, and it will remove the prefixes from the characters' names in order to focus on "their personalities, rather than their gender." Currently, only the brown M&M has a prefix — Ms. Brown — on the M&M website.

The company hopes their changes will show the importance of "self-expression and power of community."