M&M’s latest merch item is making it easier than ever to sneak candy into the movie theater.

In collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios’ launch of the holiday action-adventure film Red One on Nov. 15, starring Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and Chris Evans, the candy giant is debuting an “M&M’s Snack Jacket” inspired, appropriately, by the red M&M “spokescandy.” (Red, allegedly, is hoping to land himself a role in the film.)

M&M’s limited-edition “Snack Jacket” is designed to look like the brand’s Red spokescandy. Photo: M&M’s

While I feel like there was a missed opportunity to call it a “snacket,” the jacket is well-designed for stocking up before heading into the theater. There’s a special sleeve to dispense napkins, a strap to hold your popcorn bucket, a built-in light to find your seat in the dark theater and plenty of pockets (to hold M&M’s, of course). Its overly puffy fabric means that it looks like Red as well, especially with the signature white “m” branded in large font across the center of the jacket.

For those lucky enough to snag one of the limited-edition items, each purchase also comes with a complementary annual movie pass to further sweeten the deal.

But if you’re hoping to get your hands on one when they drop on Nov. 15, it might be a fight. The company is releasing two drops of seven jackets each, in honor of their seven iconic spokescandies.

You read that right – just 14 total.

At $11.75 apiece – the average price of a popcorn and M&M’s combo, according to the press release – the jackets are hardly a money grab for Mars, Inc., the parent company of M&M’s. So why bother with such a small drop?

For starters, of course, exclusivity is an extremely effective way to build brand buzz. “Limited edition” items create a sense of urgency with shoppers, fueled by the scarcity of the product and a fear of missing out on their favorite brands’ next big thing. That can be even more true if the product is especially creative and fun, or if it’s created within a brand partnership that resonates with an audience.

In my opinion, that’s what makes these M&M jackets work – they’re silly enough to be memorable, but they also make sense, playing off the idea of candy at the movies through direct collaboration between a candy brand and a film release.

All that together means that between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. PST on Nov. 15, there will likely be hundreds, if not thousands, of M&M’s mavens rapidly refreshing on the brand’s merch storefront.

And with a multitude of films hitting the box office as 2024 closes out – including the highly anticipated movie adaptation of the Broadway hit Wicked next week, a release that’s been impacted by a major quality-control snafu – the studio behind Red One has incentive to build hype for the film ahead of its release.

Red One, a Christmas-themed action-adventure movie, stars (from left) Lucy Liu, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, J.K. Simmons and Chris Evans. Photo: M&M’s

Mars, Inc. called the partnership a “natural fit” because of how prominent the brand has been in the entertainment space, thanks in no small part to the role of its “spokescandies” in prominent ad campaigns over the course of decades.

And it’s hardly the first time M&M’s has entered the fashion world. The brand also collaborated with Kate Spade last month to release a collection of jewelry, purses and other accessories inspired by the candy and its packaging; the coin purse and several other items sold out almost immediately.

If you miss out on the M&M’s jacket drop, AMC Theatres will also have snow globe-shaped Red One popcorn buckets for sale – continuing the custom popcorn bucket trend that’s been especially prominent with big releases lately, from Deadpool vs. Wolverine to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie.

But I wish good luck – and fast fingers – to all vying for a chance at the M&M’s “snackets.”

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