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Mars Snacking has announced the strategic revival of its M&M'S® Flavour Vote competition following a seven-year hiatus. The interactive campaign serves as the launchpad for the new M&M'S Bakery Collection, a trio of limited-edition, dessert-inspired flavours designed to capitalise on the "category blurring" trend within the confectionery aisle.
By reintroducing the crowdsourced competition, Mars is deploying a proven gamified shopper marketing mechanism. The format encourages consumers to act as "flavour judges," naturally driving cross-purchasing and multi-SKU trial as shoppers buy all three variants to participate in the vote.
The 'Bakery' Trend
The new collection targets the growing consumer appetite for complex, nostalgic, and indulgent flavour profiles that bridge the gap between traditional chocolate candy and fresh bakery goods.
The Three Contenders:
M&M'S® Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll: Combines warm cinnamon notes with the brand's popular creamy peanut butter core.
M&M'S® Cherry Chocolate Cupcake: A sophisticated profile blending rich chocolate cake flavours with a tart cherry finish.
M&M'S® Lemon Meringue Pie: Features a bright citrus flavour paired with a smooth white chocolate base and a novel crispy centre to mimic pie crust texture.
Consumer Obsession and Engagement
The Flavour Vote strategy effectively turns passive consumption into active brand engagement, generating valuable first-party data and social media traction for the brand.
Martin Terwilliger, VP of Marketing for Mars Snacking North America, highlighted the rationale behind the campaign's return:
"The M&M'S bakery collection was inspired by some of the most popular dessert flavor combinations, so we're really excited to see which variant reigns supreme with our fans. At Mars, we are consumer obsessed, so bringing back Flavor Vote felt like a fun way to connect with M&M'S fans and give them a chance to weigh in on which flavor they enjoyed the most."
Commercial Details and Merchandising
To support the trial-driven nature of the campaign, Mars is executing a comprehensive retail rollout across multiple formats. The strategy ensures the products are positioned for both immediate consumption (impulse) and planned sharing occasions.
Format Availability: All three M&M'S Bakery Collection flavours are now available nationwide in:
Single packs (Impulse/Checkout)
Share Size (Convenience)
Sharing Stand Up Pouches (Centre-store grocery)
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