# It's Purple...



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

After tallying countless votes, the results are in. And no, this time there will be no recount. 

The chocolates that do not melt in your hand are getting a new addition to the familiar brown bags. Next month, the color purple is joining forces with the colorful cast of M&Ms. Red, yellow, green, orange, blue, brown, and green will be welcoming the hue that won 41 percent of a vote whose results were announced in June.

The first M&M Global Color Vote began on March 6 and ended on May 31. M&M enthusiasts cast their votes through phone, mail, and the Internet. About 10 million people - consumers in scores of countries - participated in the process, the company says. 

This isn't the first time a new color has been added to the popular milk chocolate candies, which were introduced in 1941. The original M&M batch included, red, yellow, green, brown, orange, and violet. Sadly, violet didn't fit into the color scheme, the manufacturer decided, and in 1949, tan sent violet packing. Tan's time was up in 1995 when blue was chosen to fill in the hole tan left. Purple, known as a color that works well with other cool tones such as blue and green, is just another added bonus to the color scheme. M&M Co., owned by Masterfoods USA is making it clear that purple has to have its trial run before it can take a permanent spot. After all, yellow and red are content with the idea, but green (with envy) is naturally skeptical, and the wide variety of colored crispy candies are worried that purple will get more attention than they do. 

''Based on past success with blue, and ongoing consumer enthusiasm for the product, we decided it was time to add a little more color,'' said a Masterfoods spokeswoman, Michele Weese. 

Several candidates waged a good campaign but did not rise to the spot. Coming in a close second, Aqua won 37 percent of the vote. Last place went to pink, with 19 percent. 

The purple will be available starting in early August, for a limited time. They should be included in all M&M candies, including the peanuts and crispies.



The Boston Globe on 7/31/2002.


----------



## katew (Feb 22, 2002)

Finally!
I voted for purple when they first started letting you vote for the colors.


----------



## jim berman (Oct 28, 1999)

We got 'em! And guess what.... they don't taste different!?


----------



## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

I used to claim to be able to identify colors of M&Ms by taste.

I never did prove this skill to anyone's satisfaction - but I got a lot of free M&Ms in trying to do so.


----------



## jill reichow (Mar 12, 2001)

Oh yea!!!! I voted for purple too!! Purple pride (ECU!)! 
Guess I need to go and buy some new m's:bounce:


----------



## shimmer (Jan 26, 2001)

I have a job for us! (I voted for purple also)

When I was growing up, we believed each color did something for you. We _all_ know what the green M&Ms were for, right ladies?!?!

So now that purple is new, we need to assign it a superpower, not like flying, but enhanced something... maybe ESP?

Suggestions?!?

~~Shimmer~~:bounce:


----------



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Never heard that one before, could you please tell me a bit more?



Thanks!


----------

