New Digital Experience To Help Families and Communities Celebrate Virtually This Halloween
NEWARK, N.J. (Oct. 1, 2020) – Today, Mars Wrigley, the world’s largest candy maker known for treats like M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX® and SKITTLES®, launched its newest innovation – TREAT TOWN™ – a first-ever digital Halloween trick-or-treating experience. Created to save Halloween traditions for families and communities, TREAT TOWN™ is the answer to brewing uncertainty around Halloween and will serve as Mars Wrigley’s commitment that this season is certainly not cancelled but will be one to celebrate and remember.
Whether a candy giver or a trick-or-treater, Mars Wrigley’s TREAT TOWN™ offers an immersive experience that will bring smiles and offer new ways to create countless memories, even from behind a screen. TREAT TOWN™ allows users to collect their favorite candy, connect with friends and family and visit US attractions – all from the comfort of their own home. Beginning today and live through Oct. 31, fans can download the free TREAT TOWN™ app to their iOS or Android device and begin building their profile.
“Halloween is a mega-moment at Mars Wrigley and we’ve tried to think of everything our consumers might need in 2020 to embrace both familiar and new Halloween traditions,” Tanya Berman, Mars Wrigley’s head of seasonal marketing says. “We quickly pivoted to the totally new TREAT TOWN™ platform so families, friends and communities have the entire month of October for inclusive, digital celebrations that create better moments and more smiles this Halloween season. We’ve partnered with the National Safety Council to help create tips and guidance for a mindful Halloween experience for all during the pandemic. No matter what you’re looking for during Halloween 2020, Mars Wrigley is ready.”
How It Works
Throughout the month, TREAT TOWN™ users can create an account and engage in fun activities like building and decorating their virtual house, hosting trick-or-treaters and customizing their virtual door with spooky décor and sounds. Users can also choose their personal avatar, with options like monsters, vampires and more, along with face features, costumes and accessories.
As a candy giver, users can purchase virtual candy credits for their favorite Mars Wrigley brands, like M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX® and SKITTLES®, to give out to trick-or-treaters in their network via their virtual doors. Trick-or-treaters can then go “door to door” visiting friends and family across the country collecting Mars Wrigley candy credits that can be exchanged for real candy online or in store at national retailers. Trick-or-treaters also have the option to create better moments and more smiles by “treating it forward” and giving their credits to Boys & Girls Club of America as a cash donation. Mars Wrigley will also be making a $50,000 donation to help support Boys & Girls Club mission to do whatever it takes to build great futures for all young people.
TREAT TOWN™ Destinations
While exploring TREAT TOWN™, users can’t miss must-see digital attractions, such as Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Inside, Mars Wrigley and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will offer a peek at characters and icons straight from the fabled attraction. Disney’s Haunted Mansion can be seen on TREAT TOWN™’s trick-or-treating map at launch and trick-or-treaters will be able to knock on its door beginning October 23.
For those looking for a colorful, chocolate-filled adventure, M&M’S World in Times Square will also be open for trick-or-treating with the famous M&M’S® characters.
The fun won’t slow down there. Mars Wrigley is bringing the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota to TREAT TOWN™ for a virtual ‘trunk or treat’ experience complete with free M&M’S or SNICKERS candy credits for users while supplies last. Later this month, NASCAR fans can catch TREAT TOWN™ on the track in Kansas City. Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota and winner of the 2019 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series, will drive a custom TREAT TOWN™ car featuring consumer’s favorite M&M’S characters just in time for Halloween.
Creating Better Moments, More Smiles while Preserving Traditions
With a recent survey finding that 74% of parents say Halloween is more important than ever this year, Mars Wrigley has also partnered with the National Safety Council to provide tips and guidance for communities, parents and caretakers to keep in mind before, during and after trick-or-treating this year.
Mars Wrigley has also sharpened their portfolio of favorites this year, including classic varieties and new treats:
• M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, SKITTLES®, STARBURST®, 3MUSKETEERS® and MILKY WAY® widely available in multiple pack types, like fun size, to account for flexible celebrations this year whether that’s trick-or-treating, gifting or celebrating with your favorite treats at home
• The return of Zombie SKITTLES®, M&M’S® Ghoul’s Mix and M&M’S® Glow-in-the-Dark packaging
• New M&M’S® Chocolate Popcorn and M&M’S® Creepy Cocoa Crisp
For more information on how to create better moments this Halloween, visit treat-town.com or the App Store to download TREAT TOWN™ and connect with neighbors around the country this October.
About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.
Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 125,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses, including AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, and VCA™.
We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products:
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s powerful brands and franchises — including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, Twentieth Century Studios and National Geographic — into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than 60 years later, Disney has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53 resorts in the United States, Europe and Asia with more than 170,000 cast members; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022 and 2023; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawaii; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business.
Disney Imagineers are the creative force behind Disney theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships globally.
Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing includes the world’s leading licensing business; one of the world’s largest children’s publishing brands; one of the world’s largest licensors of games across platforms; more than 300 Disney store locations around the world; and the shop Disney e-commerce platform.
