‘Even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing’: M&M’s replaces cartoon mascots with Maya Rudolph

M&M’s announced on Monday they would be taking an indefinite pause from their cartoon mascots, the “spokescandies,” and replacing them with a new spokesperson, Maya Rudolph.

According to the M&M Twitter page, the brand is taking a pause from the spokescandies following controversy about the candy’s looks.

In their tweet, the company said, “America, let’s talk. In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies. We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn’t think it would break the internet. But now we get it - even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing.”

Last year, the company announced a makeover to the six M&M characters to promote inclusivity. According to the Associated Press, those changes included making two of the characters less stereotypically feminine.

The green M&M ditched high-heeled boots in favor of sneakers, and the brown M&M swapped a stiletto for a lower heel, according to the AP.

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

Monday’s announcement comes after the “spokescandies” sparked controversy with the shift from heels to sneakers. In a report, NBC news said, “Fox News host Tucker Carlson railed against ‘woke M&M’s’ in a recent broadcast. He made similar complaints about the candies last January after M&M’s announced a new, inclusive look.”

The company said in their announcement that polarization was “the last thing M&M’s wanted since we’re all about bringing people together.”

In the cartoon candy’s place, M&M’s announced their new spokesperson, Emmy award-winning comedian Maya Rudolph, would take over.

“We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong,” the brand said.