Repeated M&M's logo by JKR

M&M’s reveals global redesign alongside new brand purpose

The new identity design by JKR emphasises the logo’s ampersand, coinciding with the brand’s push to show progressive ideals

M&M’s has kicked off the year with changes to its visual design and a stronger emphasis on brand purpose, with a new mission of “creating a world where everyone feels they belong”. This will be reflected in a refreshed tone of voice that parent company Mars promises will be “more inclusive, welcoming and unifying, while remaining rooted in our signature jester wit and humour” – which will be an interesting balancing act.

The logo’s ampersand has been brought to the fore across the new visual design by JKR, in a bid to represent the way in which the brand brings people together. The borders around each letterform have also been stripped back, and a new, curvy custom type family, All Together, has been developed. It’s a playful bit of type design thanks to details like the positioning of the counters and exaggerated ink traps, which form a smiling face in the lowercase ‘e’, for example.

The colours of the chocolates are emphasised in the new palettes used throughout the identity, bringing the kind of 70s feel that went down well at Burger King, helping to retain a sense of fun along with the motion design.

“From new product innovations to brand campaigns, our evolved characters and our experiential retail stores, we’ll incorporate colourful visuals, inclusive messaging and our purpose into all we do to prove that all together, we’re more fun,” said Jane Hwang, global marketing vice president at Mars Wrigley.

The visual identity and brand purpose were unveiled along with changes to the M&M’s characters – probably the most recognisable aspect of the brand – which have been given a “fresh, modern” makeover. The mascots’ proportions have been updated, gender markers like Mr and Mrs have been removed from the characters and there have been other tweaks, like lowering the heel height on the brown M&M. The brand is aiming to instead show “more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling”.

jkrglobal.com