PeaceBang

The Sexed-Up M&M

I took a little break from reading, writing and researching tonight and kicked back to watch a bit of mindless telly. Granted, I was flipping through a few books in search of readings for Sunday’s service so I can’t say I was watching very closely, but I THINK I saw a commercial for M&M’s candy where the green M&M (remember? The one that we used to say made you –*snort, snort*- HORNY?) was wearing pantyhose, sexy high heels and lipstick. I think she was being leered at by the blue and brown and yellow and red M&Ms.

In my best Fred Craddock accent, I’d like to say “Nowwww, tha’s jes’ wrong. Tha’s jes’ wrong.”

I look up, I squint. The dog is flopped across my lap half asleep and I’ve got a book in my left hand and the remote control in my right. “Max, did you see that? Was that a sexed-up M & M?”
…
I’m reaching back in my memory for candy commercials that sexualized candy and I can think of the Starburst campaign of about 20 years ago and the famous “When I eat a York Peppermint Patty…” spots from the 1970’s, which were funny and tongue-in-cheek. I don’t think I’ve yet seen an advertising campaign that turns a piece of candy into a female character, puts lipstick and pantyhose on it, sticks it in high heels, and has it fling its leg in the air to be ogled by other, male, pieces of candy.

Way to go, whoever came up with this. Because we don’t have enough sexist objectification of actual women in advertising — now we have to turn inanimate objects into sexy babes so we can objectify them, too.

Pass the Skittles. And the remote control, while you’re at it.

[Update: I guess I forgot about this spot, which shows that Miss Green has been M&M’s “sexy” candy for a long time.

Wow, check this out. Miss Green is popular overseas, too. I doubt this is a legit commercial, but it’s interesting how the idea has traveled, no? ]