It's not often that I think about TV commercials. We live in the streaming age. It should be a post-commercial world in most cases. Still, as we watch TV and ignore most of the ads to check our emails and such, at least one ad campaign stood out. It's the M&Ms and their talking spokescandies, a campaign that's lasted about 25 years. Well, that time looks to be over.
A message from M&M'S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o
— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023
Depending on who you ask, this is either conservatives not allowing anyone to have nice things or a cosmic brained buildup for a Super Bowl ad, but for now, it looks like there are going to be no more M&M spokescandies. So let's pay tribute to this wonderful ad campaign with some of my favorite M&M commercials.
The original
While the M&Ms all have their distinct voice actors, it all started with this first iteration of Red and Yellow, who were voiced by Jon Lovitz and John Goodman. This would set the tone for the next 28 years of M&Ms commercials.
Aw nuts!
I wasn't sure how effective it would be to advertise a peanut so hard that a saw could barely cut through it, but what do I know? At least the ad was funny.
"Be free!"
The best M&M ads are the ones where they acknowledge their existence, leading to an existential evaluation of their own mortality. Also, heh... Yellow funny.
Cannibalism
Also, a handful of these ads were fascinated by the idea of the M&Ms as cannibals. They really liked to make you think.
In a world...
The M&Ms were too big for TV and eventually came to the big screen... sort of. Here's the M&M ad that briefly aired in movie theaters across the country.
Office party
Don't... do this at an office party.
"Would you like to eat me?"
I can't help but laugh at the lovable Danny DeVito from this Super Bowl ad.
And... the classic Christmas commercial
Of course, everybody's seen this one. Red and Yellow are leaving M&Ms out for Santa Claus and you know how this one goes.
But wait! Did you know that there's a sequel to this ad? That's right! Watch Yellow save Christmas!
Alright, those are some of my favorites. Toss in your favorites in the thread. Pour one out... and enjoy the chocolatey taste of M&Ms.
