The Beloved M&M 'Spokescandies' Have Been 'Indefinitely' Retired After Criticism of Being Too 'Woke' The company made an announcement via social media on Monday morning.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In times of mass layoffs across industries, it seems that no one is safe — not even animated talking candies.

It's the end of an era for M&Ms, as the candy company has temporarily retired its once beloved "spokescandies" that have defined its advertising for decades.

The company took to its official Twitter account on Monday morning saying vast criticism has made the characters "polarizing" and that M&M's mission has always been about "bringing people together."

"We have decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokes candies," the company wrote. "In their place, we are proud to introduce a spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph."

M&M's did not clarify what Rudolph's duties would entail, but based on all the prior commercial television spots and social media advertising the company has done, it's clear she'll have no shortage of airtime.

The pushback against the candy empire began earlier this month when it announced its new, "Flip the Status Quo" campaign, which featured bags of M&M's with three female characters flipped upside down on the wrapper in an attempt to show thanks to women that are "flipping the status quo everywhere."

Mars, M&M's parent company, pledged to donate $1 from every limited-edition bag sold to two different nonprofits up to $500,000. But the stunt brought in a slew of pushback from right-wing outlets and others on social media dubbing the candy as trying to be "woke."

However, Monday's news about retiring the characters was no different and brought in strong reactions on social media.

Others suggested this was a Super Bowl ad stunt, and the company was setting the table for a primetime commercial featuring Rudolph. Mars has not responded to the rumors.

Just last year, M&M's revealed that the spokescandies would be getting makeovers to present as a "more inclusive" bunch, including new outfits and characteristics.

Rudolph has not publicly reacted to the announcement yet.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

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