Mars announces limited edition candies, marketing campaign

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. Mars Snackfood announced Monday the availability of limited-edition M&M’s Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies and Snickers Nougabot Bar to celebrate the June 24 release of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, Inc.

Mars also will be rolling out a “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”-themed marketing campaign in support of the limited-edition products, including:

• Action film director Michael Bay is putting his signature touch on a dramatic television commercial in which animated M&M’s brand characters, “Red” and “Yellow,” team up with the popular Autobot Optimus Prime, to deliver the M&M’s Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies to stores around the country. The commercial will debut on June 1, 2009.
• Michael Bay himself will become an M&M’s character for a new “Inner M” print ad that will be featured in June issues of Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly and USA Weekend. The print advertising is an extension of the brand’s “Inner M” equity campaign which encourages Americans to find their fun side and embrace their “Inner M.”
• Consumers will be able to join “Red” and “Yellow,” as well as other “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters on a digital scavenger adventure on www.mms.com, as well as other sites throughout the Web, beginning May 19, 2009.
• Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M's car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will sport a special “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”-themed paint scheme during the June 21, 2009, race at Infineon Raceway, where Busch took the checkered flag last year. The special paint scheme features movie title decals on the hood, trunk and TV panel and the M&M’s brand “Red,” “Green” and “Yellow” characters modified into “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters.

“This campaign with the iconic M&M’s brand is a great way to build even more excitement about the new installment of the ‘Transformers’ movie franchise with consumers everywhere – from the grocery store, on their computer screens and even at the racetrack,” commented LeeAnne Stables, EVP Worldwide Marketing Partnerships for Paramount Pictures.

The M&M’s Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies feature smooth peanut butter and sweet strawberry flavor surrounded by a colorful M&M's candy shell. The M&M’s Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies are offered in singles (1.4 oz) and medium bags (11.4 oz) and retail for $.79 and $3.49, respectively.

In addition to M&M’s, Mars’ Snickers brand is launching a limited-edition Snickers Nougabot Bar with yellow nougat and dark caramel to resemble the colorings of one of the  Autobots named Bumblebee. The packaging includes images of the Bumblebee character as well as “Bits & Bytes” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” movie and Snickers candy trivia. The Snickers Nougabot Bar is available nationwide in singles for $.79.