Brown & Purple
Concepted, created and launched two M&M’S characters: Brown in 2012 and Purple in 2022
Brown
Before 2012, the brown-colored M&M’S were the only color in a bag of M&M’S that did not have a corresponding character. My partner and I spent the entire year of 2011 building and developing every detail for Brown — her look, her personality, her humor, her accessories, her voice — and then launched her to the world during the 2012 Super Bowl. We then spent the next two years putting her in the spotlight across all of the brand’s channels.
After we established her to the masses, we then had her point out the unfair practices of not insuring a piece of chocolate to the Geico Gecko.
The New Girl
In an effort to create better gender balance within the M&M’S cast of characters and to help lean into their new purpose of creating a world where everyone feels included, the client asked us to create a new female M&M’S character in 2021.
Meet Purple.
The imperfect, quirky, hopelessly optimistic new M&M’S character whose self-acceptance reminds us that honesty and vulnerability are admirable traits. Purple never tries to be anything but herself.
She’s also the first peanut-shaped female M&M’S character whose shell color completes the colors of the rainbow for the brand.
As part of her introduction, we wrote an original song titled “I’m Just Gonna Be Me,” created a music video for it and the brand donated $1 up to $500,000 to the non-profit Sing For Hope for every stream.
