M&M'S Sexy and I know it

Lily Bailey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q33drZUXSzY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx6JDQCslE&ob=av3n

This thirty-one second commercial starts out with Ms. Brown, the chocolate M&M having a conversation with two normal females. This chocolate M&M is of course wearing square frame glasses and white heals. The giggling of a 20 some year old man interrupts the conversation. Ms. Brown finds this annoying and asks her friends “what’s his problem?”.. And of course since she is in a brown shell he believes her chocolate is showing and that she is naked. Irritated Ms. Brown declares that only a fool would think that she would show up naked. Within a second though Red (the M&M with the red shell) asks “so it’s that kind of party?!” rips off his red shell, or clothing and starts dancing suggestively and singing along to the very popular song by LMFAO, “I'm sexy and I know it.” Ms. Brown and her friends stare open mouthed at the performance. Then of course it shows the chocolate treat getting there milk chocolate shell.. Leaving you with laughter and a craving for the chocolaty bite size treat. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q33drZUXSzY)
M&M commercials and ads have been around for like ever. They are known for being cute and funny. Something kids can watch and parents can giggle at. This ad premiered during the super bowl. This also was Ms. Brown’s first TV appearance. I first saw this ad while watching TV with my mom, we both were laughing by the end. The beginning conversation wasn't what got us. It was Red dancing naked to the very popular and equally as funny song “I'm sexy and I know it.” By using this song the commercial is using the technique, famous-person testimonial. Popular song, popular band, I’m going to guess that around 80% of viewers understood the reference. A TV commercial was the perfect medium for this ad. It was very much visual, and you needed to see it to get what was going on.
The only way I found this ad “different” is that it is the only commercial I have seen so far with an LMFAO song in it. By using this song the song was relevant to many viewers. From young adults to mid-aged adult. Anybody that listens the the radio or watched basic cable is going to know who the band is and what kind of persona they have. It funny and simple. There is also a sex appeal. (www.celebpromoter.com/top-8-most-inappropriate-mm-moments-of-the-decade-hilarious-video)
Implying that the sophisticated M&M would be naked at a party is a little risque in my opinion! But of course this is definitely not the first time a nude M&M has made its on TV. Most current M&M ads have sex appeal in them. It was somewhat difficult for me to find a stereotype in this ad. There is of course the some what bitchy Ms. Brown and her friends in the beginning, shortly after the giggling male pervert, then the party animal, Red, who ends the ad by ripping of his clothing and starts suggestively dancing to a risque and popular song. Those are the basic ones that I found, and with these you also can reach a wider array of viewers.

LMFAO

The strengths of this commercial, AGAIN is the use of the very popular song, “I’m sexy and I know it.” People know the song, its funny and current, blah, blah, blah. This commercial also is very memorable. The popular song is one that I believe people will remember from this era, and because of that people will remember the commercial; plus its funny and cute. The weakness I found, was only one major one. While talking to my dad about this commercial (I would like to add that my dad is and up tight, almost 50, Jehovah’s witness) he informed me that the commercial was rude, inappropriate and very annoying. When being watched by viewers that are older, up tight, or with a high moral standing on life, or all of that together; the commercial may be viewed as vulgar.

M&M's are a household name. Its a popular candy with popular commercial and a popular interactive website. (http://www.m-ms.com/us/) They offer memorably M&M's that you can you at memorable events. They have big plastic characters filled with candy’s at Walmart. So much of M&M can be viewed as just plain American. Because the M&M brand is already so popular, is that same reason why I found this commercial so interesting. It is good. In all reality M&M does not need to put that much effort into advertising. But they still do, and they still make people laugh.