New M&M'S Ice Cream Treats Bring Colorful Fun to the Freezer

10/06/08 Mars Snackfood US announced the Summer release of new M&M'S Brand Ice Cream Treats. Available as an ice cream bar on a stick and mirroring the look of a classic M&M'S candy, each bar contains vanilla ice cream covered in a chocolaty coating then dipped in a chocolaty colored shell (red, green or blue) and placed on a stick. M&M'S Ice Cream Treats will be available nationwide in single or multi-packs of five bars at $1.49 and $3.99 respectively. Every treat contains a riddle on the stick from the popular M&M'S spokescandies red and yellow; the answers, hidden beneath the ice cream, can only be solved upon finishing all three layers of fun.

"We are really excited to launch M&M'S Ice Cream Treats and make them the summer's coolest treat," said Craig Hall, General Manager, Ice Cream, Mars Snackfood US. "M&M'S Ice Cream treats are bringing the classic fun and color that consumers associate with M&M'S Chocolate Candies to the ice cream aisle and freezers around the country."

Marketing Support for M&M'S Brand Ice Cream Treats

To support the launch of the summer's yummiest dessert, the M&M'S brand is reminding Americans of their soft spot for ice cream with a promotional campaign evoking ice cream nostalgia with a colorful twist. Beginning in Mid- June through Mid-July 'Team Ice Cream' will blitz high traffic areas donned in traditional uniforms consisting of white pants and shirts with colorful bowties. At each stop there will be an Ice Cream Oasis -- an interactive old-fashioned ice cream parlor -- where Team Ice Cream will distribute coupons and samples and people can cool down with America's favorite treat. Additionally, a restored 1950's ice cream truck will be spotted throughout some of the cities. In-market sampling will occur in following cities: Boston, Hartford/Springfield, CT, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago and Los Angeles. The 1950's ice cream truck will be driven throughout Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, DC.

Beginning in May, colorful print and television advertising will further introduce M&M'S Ice Cream Treats to consumers throughout the country. The advertising creative plays upon the classic M&M'S candies slogan "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand," by featuring an image of the bright new treat with the tagline "Melts in your mouth and in your hand." The television campaign will showcase the classic M&M'S characters Red and Yellow having fun in the grocery store's ice cream
aisle.