What’s the recipe for a delicious collaboration? Start with M&M’S iconically colorful personality, add Kate Spade New York’s signature whimsy, and sprinkle in a dash of bold self-expression. The result: Statement Candy, a 31-piece accessory collection designed to encourage fans to embrace their most iconic selves. This wasn’t just a product drop—by merging the worlds of candy and couture in a creative campaign across a global ecosystem of touchpoints, we aimed to spark creativity, inspire individuality, and showcase M&M’S as a lifestyle brand that belongs in culture as much as it does in the candy aisle.
M&M’S and Kate Spade New York go together like Andy Sachs and her Chanel boots: M&M’S strives to make the world a place where everyone belongs, and Kate Spade aspires to deliver unexpected joy to the every day. Combined, they’re the perfect pair of delightful, colorful togetherness.
Both brands share an ethos of unapologetic self-expression that set the stage- and the catwalk- for fans from both brands to come together in a world where everyone belongs and color reigns supreme. Our shared audience is those who embrace “extra”: vivacious doers and dreamers with a colorful outlook. They are the magic-makers of the holiday season: over-the-top celebrators who bring people together to create moments of joy.
Designed to inspire those who inspire others, each moment in the campaign was meant to spark conversation and inspiration. By blending the unexpected—fashion and candy—we created a global campaign that celebrated the icon in everyone, just as the collection of “joy engines” captured the essence of both brands and resonated with our audience’s love for bold, everyday happiness.
Our campaign launched with a tone-setting hero film. Three fashionistas turn the convenience store candy aisle into their catwalk, embodying the spirit of the collection: bold and unapologetic self-expression.
Any fashion fan will tell you: relevance is everything. Which is why we created a global toolkit so each of the 33 markets we launched in could tailor the campaign to their specific regional audience.
Statement Candy delivered standout results that proved the power of amplifying shared joy. The campaign didn’t just meet expectations—it set new benchmarks.
The first drop of the collection sold out on M&M’S dotcom within hours, to date achieving +26% to sales plan and securing placement in 250 locations spanning direct-to-consumer and wholesale doors.
Global awareness skyrocketed, generating over 1.8 billion PR impressions and thousands of placements in outlets ranging from convenience trade to high-fashion media. The campaign also marked several firsts, including M&M’S USA’s debut TikTok Shop activation and a TMall live-stream in China, which drew over 70% new viewers.
Paid media performance exceeded expectations, achieving a 4.85 ROAS on Meta (+21% vs channel average) and a 4.31 ROAS on Pinterest, along with a +78% click-through rate and +27% engagement rate above channel benchmarks. These results reinforced the power of creative that was both product-focused and culturally relevant.
Beyond the metrics, the campaign sparked overwhelmingly positive sentiment worldwide. Fans, influencers, and media celebrated the collaboration as a joyful and dynamic must-have. By blending creativity, cultural relevance, and strategic precision, this campaign proved that M&M’S isn’t just a candy—it’s a lifestyle.
