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Mars gives M&M’s a makeover to promote inclusivity

AP – Candy maker Mars is giving a makeover to its six M&M’s characters as a way to promote inclusivity.

The company said that it will provide a modern take on the appearances of the characters – which Mars calls “lentils” – and give them more nuanced personalities. The lentils, which are featured in red, green, orange, yellow, brown and blue, will also come in different shapes and sizes.

Some of the changes to the M&M characters include making two of them less stereotypically feminine. In the new version, the green M&M ditches the high-heeled boots in favour of sneakers and the brown candy no longer wears stilettos, opting instead for lower heels.

“Our ambition is to upend the expected, break through barriers, and discover the little joys shared in everyday life. Imagine a world with less judgement and more connection and consistent laughter,” the company said on its website.

Mars, whose brands also include Twix and Snickers, said that it will also put added emphasis on the ampersand in the M&M’s logo to demonstrate how the brand aims to bring people together.

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The move toward inclusivity and embracing individual differences comes at a time when consumers are growing increasingly aware of how products are marketed to them. Mars is aware of this, having had to change the name of its Uncle Ben’s rice brand in 2020 due to criticism. Quaker Oats’ Aunt Jemima brand pancake mix and syrup – part of PepsiCo – rebranded last year because it said that Aunt Jemima was based on a racial stereotype.

But some marketers believe that Mars may be overthinking the marketing of its M&Ms.

LGBTQ M&M'S

Co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce Allen Adamson said the move to overhaul the character of the M&Ms is a “good idea” but it’s just an example of how worried marketers are to offend consumers. And he believes this step is on the “verge of potential overthink”.

Marketing consultant Laura Ries agreed, though she praised Mars’ emphasis of the ampersand as a symbol of unity.

“They’re looking for some attention and trying to jump on the bandwagon of trying to be more inclusive,” Ries said. “I don’t think there was an overall outcry of the overall sexualisation of the M&M. It’s just an M&M.”

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Diver spots ghostly transparent sea creature in South African waters

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A photo shows the eel-like creature.

Gulf Today Report

Incredible footage shows the moment a diver encounters a ghostly eel-like creature that is almost completely transparent.

Experts are divided over the bizarre sea creature spotted by Amy Wainman, 36, off Simon's Town near Cape Town in South Africa.

In Amy's footage, the creature is seen undulating through the water, its transparent body seemingly devoid of any organs.

The diver said the 'amazing, magical' creature was unlike anything she'd ever seen.

Bradley Stevens, a retired marine science professor, formerly of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said it seemed to be at the end of its larval stage.

He said, “Its size and location suggest that it is nearing the end of its migration from the mid-oceanic spawning grounds, and will soon become a normal-shaped juvenile eel.”

However, Kevin Kocot, an associate professor at The University of Alabama specialising in invertebrate zoology, believes it's actually a 'very unusual' type of jelly.

He said, “Some baby eels have larvae called leptocephalus larvae that look superficially very similar.

'But if you look closely, they have a head and mouth at one end whereas this animal's mouth is in the middle of the body,” he added.