Recycled TV ads? Yes, cute M&M characters are taking sustainability to a candy can-do level.
Recycling has long been a touchstone in efforts to clean up the environment and slow climate change.
But how about recycled TV ads?
Yes, that’s what giant candy company Mars — the maker of M&M’s, Twix and Snickers, among other brands — is doing, using video from existing TV and online advertising and then re-editing them into a new campaign highlighting their sustainability efforts.
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For example, in 15-second M&M’s spot posted on a sponsored page on Axios, the colorful candy mascots appear in a conference room — a classic commercial for the brand — but this time, they have new dialog dubbed in, with new mouths animated over the old ones. The subject matter: How Mars is cutting down on pollution in manufacturing and shipping as it aims to “cut carbon emissions in half by 2030 across the company’s full value chain.” It has also made moves to replace its plastic packaging and has also offered free recyclable bag for Halloween candy.
And the company claims the environmental impact of the recycled ads is significant, saying that production of a typical digital advertising campaign can produce about 35 metric tons of carbon dioxide derived from travel, filming and set production.
It’s not just M&M characters. As part of the campaign, called “Healthy Planet Productions,” an old TWIX ad, popular for its “Left TWIX” and “Right TWIX” factories, now focuses on how Mars uses more than 50% renewable electricity.
The Mars folks think their efforts are delicious. “With this campaign,” Barry Parkin, Mars’ chief procurement and sustainability officer, told Axios, “Mars is taking the work we are doing across our value chain to reduce carbon emissions and making it easy for consumers to engage and feel good about the products and brands they know and love.”
Sweet.
