M&Ms Is Featuring An All-Female Pack To Celebrate International Women's Day
International Women's Day is a global holiday celebrated every year on March 8. It aims to bring attention to the achievements of women, raise awareness about discrimination, and take action against stereotypes and biases.
It comes as no surprise that many food brands use this day in their marketing campaigns as a selling tool. However, in the past, many have been criticized for doing just that. (For example, McDonald's flipped its iconic "Golden Arches" logo from an "M" to a "W," but behind the scenes, employees (many of whom were women) were fighting for fair wages, per Eater.)
But one food brand is doing it right. M&M's is taking its support to the next level with the slogan "flipping the status quo" — and it's putting its money where its mouth is. Here's how the brand is celebrating International Women's Day — and how customers can be a part of the action.
How is M&M's 'flipping the status quo?'
On January 5, M&M's released its International Women's Day campaign and gave its packaging a makeover to go along with it. M&M's female spokescandies Brown and Green pose on the front of each bag, along with their new friend, Purple. (Purple made her debut in September as the first new M&M's character to be released in more than a decade, but she had yet to make an appearance in stores.)
The three M&M's characters appear upside-down on the bag, in honor of the new slogan. The brand's goal is to shine the spotlight on women who are breaking barriers and setting new standards. Between now and January 15, M&M's is asking its audience to nominate the women in their lives who are "flipping the status quo." The winners will have a chance to be featured on the M&M's platform and receive $10k to fund their special calling that is making an impact, with winners being announced on International Women's Day (March 8).
In addition to the grants, M&M's is donating $1 from every International Women's day pack to She Is The Music and We Are Moving the Needle (up to $500,000), per a press release. M&M's is also making additional donations (up to $300,000) to the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the Female Founder Collective.