The Energon Pub

Mars Snackfood US announced today the availability of limited-edition M&M’S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies and SNICKERS® Nougabot™ Bar to celebrate the June 24 release of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, Inc. M&M’S® and SNICKERS® fans are sure to “fall” for the limited-edition product, which will be available from May through July in food, drug, mass and convenience outlets.

As anticipation for the summer blockbuster builds, Mars Snackfood US will also be rolling out a full-contact, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”-themed marketing campaign in support of the limited-edition products. Specific marketing campaign executions include:

* Action film director Michael Bay is putting his signature touch on a dramatic television commercial in which animated M&M’S® Brand characters, “Red” and “Yellow,” team up with the popular AUTOBOT® OPTIMUS PRIME™, to deliver the M&M’S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies to stores around the country. The commercial will debut on June 1, 2009.
* Michael Bay himself will become an M&M’S® character for a new “Inner M” print ad that will be featured in June issues of Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly and USA Weekend. The print advertising is an extension of the brand’s “Inner M” equity campaign which encourages Americans to find their fun side and embrace their “Inner M.”
* Consumers will be able to join “Red” and “Yellow,” as well as other “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters on a digital scavenger adventure on http://www.mms.com, as well as other sites throughout the Web, beginning May 19, 2009.
* Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M'S® car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will sport a special “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”-themed paint scheme during the June 21, 2009, race at Infineon Raceway, where Busch took the checkered flag last year. The special paint scheme features movie title decals on the hood, trunk and TV panel and the M&M’S® Brand “Red,” “Green” and “Yellow” characters modified into “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters.

“M&M’S® Chocolate Candies have always been a favorite movie-watching treat and aligning ourselves with one of the most-anticipated films of the summer is a perfect match,” said Michele Kessler, vice president, marketing, Mars Snackfood US. “The battle between AUTOBOTS® and DECEPTICONS® echoes the ongoing debate over peanut M&M’S® versus milk chocolate. Fortunately, you don’t need to choose between favorite flavors with our limited-edition M&M’S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies.”

“This campaign with the iconic M&M’S® brand is a great way to build even more excitement about the new installment of the ‘Transformers’ movie franchise with consumers everywhere – from the grocery store, on their computer screens and even at the racetrack,” commented LeeAnne Stables, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Partnerships for Paramount Pictures.
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About the Limited-Edition Candies and Collector Packaging

The M&M’S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies feature smooth peanut butter and sweet strawberry flavor surrounded by a colorful M&M'S® candy shell. The M&M’S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies are offered in singles (1.4 oz) and medium bags (11.4 oz) and retail for $.79 and $3.49, respectively.

The limited-edition flavor along with traditional M&M’S® Chocolate Candies are available in seven limited-edition collector packs featuring “Red,” “Blue,” “Yellow” and “Orange” M&M’S® characters, transformed into CHOCL-O-BOTS™ and DELECT-O-CONS™ alongside images of the dynamic “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters.

M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies limited-edition packaging features images of AUTOBOTS® characters OPTIMUS PRIME®, BUMBLEBEE™ and IRONHIDE™ while M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies limited-edition packaging features DECEPTICONS® STARSCREAM™, BARRICADE™ AND MEGATRON™.

In addition to M&M’S®, Mars’ SNICKERS® brand is launching a limited-edition SNICKERS® NOUGABOT™ Bar with deceptively delicious bright Yellow Nougat and Dark Caramel to resemble the colorings of one of the coolest and most popular AUTOBOTS®, BUMBLEBEE™. The packaging includes images of the BUMBLEBEE™ character as well as “Bits & Bytes” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” movie and Snickers candy trivia. The SNICKERS® NOUGABOT™ Bar is available nationwide in singles for $.79.

* Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M'S® car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will sport a special “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”-themed paint scheme during the June 21, 2009, race at Infineon Raceway, where Busch took the checkered flag last year. The special paint scheme features movie title decals on the hood, trunk and TV panel and the M&M’S® Brand “Red,” “Green” and “Yellow” characters modified into “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” characters.