M&M'S Dubs 2014 the 'Year of Peanut'

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – 2014 may be the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese Zodiac, but Mars Chocolate North America is celebrating the "Year of Peanut" with an ongoing integrated marketing campaign aimed at showcasing the irresistibility of M&M'S Peanut.

Over the past two months, the campaign has already included a star-studded New Year's Eve event in Atlanta, the nation's unofficial peanut capital; a 45-second commercial spot that aired during the first half of Super Bowl XLVIII, marking the third year in a row that the M&M'S brand has appeared during the big game; a fully integrated push behind the Super Bowl spot that included a trailer and social media campaign fueled by "spokescandy" Yellow and his fellow M&M'S "spokescandies;" and a humorous, award-winning online video series called the "Search for the One," starring actor and comedian David Koechner as an eccentric explorer searching for the "perfect peanut."

In its latest campaign initiative, Mars Chocolate and M&M'S Racing celebrated the start of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season by unveiling an M&M'S Peanut-themed paint scheme for the No. 18 M&M'S Toyota Camry. Spokescandy Yellow is featured on the exterior of the car, driven by Kyle Busch.

"As a driver, I'm not usually a fan of seeing the color yellow during the race, but this is definitely the exception to that rule," said Busch. "Yellow is America's favorite nut, and I love having him on the car since M&M'S Peanut is my go-to snack at home or in the hauler."

The new paint job marks Yellow's first solo appearance on the vehicle.

"M&M'S Peanut taking a lead position for us at the biggest race of the NASCAR 2014 racing season gives Kyle Busch fans -- and Yellow fans -- even more incentive to stand up and cheer," said Seth Klugherz, senior director of M&M'S Chocolate Candies. "Just as there will only be one winner in victory lane, only one in 100 peanuts is lucky enough to make its way into a bag of M&M'S Peanut."

Fans can find more information about M&M'S Racing on its Facebook page, and Mars Chocolate will continue to release news about "Year of Peanut" events throughout 2014.