The Super Bowl brings more to its host city than football. Nowhere has that been more evident than in New Orleans this week where M&M'S kicked off its new "Better with M" advertising campaign with a star studded event aimed at "M-proving" America!
The event included a three-course M&M'S milk-chocolate infused dining experience created by famed New Orleans chef and restaurateur, John Besh. The starter on the menu was a Double Chocolate Bread Pudding studded with all varieties of M&M'S with special emphasis on the Peanut Butter M&M'S. The chocolate delights continued from there with sweet and savory creations which John enjoyed developing with his team of chefs.
John shared with me his feelings about the event, the campaign, the Super Bowl and life as a chef . "I love that a week supposedly all about football is actually much more," says John. "It's a thrill to be a part of the culture surrounding the sport and especially seeing how that enthusiasm is used to do something to improve lives."
The cornerstone of the "Better with M" campaign is a new cause-related marketing effort designed to make "America Better with M" by funding the construction of Habitat for Humanity homes across the nation. As part of the initiative, M&M'S is also encouraging, as well as incentivizing fans to help "M-Prove America" by volunteering at Habitat jobs sites nationwide.
"Having truckloads of M&M'S delivered for my use in developing recipes for the kick-off dinner was a delight - especially to my wife," says John. "But it is even more delightful to see this iconic candy encouraging Americans to volunteer for such a worthy cause."
New Orleans is a poster city for Habitat for Humanity. M&M'S volunteers along with NFL greats took part in a wall raising for New Orleans resident, Gloria Smith on Friday. You can follow the progress of the building of Ms. Gloria's home and others on a special Facebook page here.
"Better with M' showcases how M&M'S irresistible chocolate makes moments more fun and delicious," says Roy Benin, Chief Consumer Officer, Mars Chocolate North America. "The 'Better with M' story is delivered through our colorful spokescandies, whose irresistible chocolate always makes moments even better - be they watching the Super Bowl, baking cookies, gathering the family together for a movie or even tailgating."
Working with M&M'S seems the perfect fit for John Besh - who makes things better for countless foodies at his New Orleans' restaurants. I asked John why he became a chef. He shared with me that he began cooking as a boy for his family and it always made them happy. "I fell in love with making people happy," John confessed. M&M'S make things better, John makes people happy - it's a perfect match!
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