Marketing Research

Objective: Describe the five steps in conducting market research

1. Define the Problem:
Does each bag of M&Ms contain the same number of candies?
No, each bag does not contain the same amount. We compared to another group and
their back had 8 less than ours.
How many of each color M&M is in each bag?
Yellow: 12
Blue: 29
Orange: 25
Red: 6
Green: 12
Brown: 4
Total: 88
2. Analyze the situation:
Complete the M&Ms website worksheet.
3. Develop a data-collection procedure:
Get a bag of M&Ms and complete the Data Collection Worksheet
4. Examine and organize information:
Complete the Group Comparison Worksheet
5. Propose a solution
Complete the Solutions Worksheet

M & Ms Website Worksheet

Directions: Use Google to answer the questions below.
History
1. What year were M&Ms first sold to the public? 1941
2. How were they packaged? In cardboard tubes.
3. When the packaging was changed, what was it changed to? Brown bag packaging.
4. When were peanut M&Ms first introduced? 1954.
5. Where are M&M candies made in the United States? Newark, New Jersey.
6. What color was added to peanut M&Ms in 1960? Yellow red and green.
7. What does M & M stand for? Mars and Murrie.
8. The original M&M chocolate candies contained what color mix? Red, yellow, brown,
green and violet.
9. What is colorworks? A way to order M&Ms in your favourite colours.
10. What is M&M world? A very large monument store for the M&Ms company.
11. What happened to the original name of M&M plain chocolate candies in 2000? They
were renamed to milk chocolate.
12. Can you get your school colors? Yes.
13. What color was originally used for the letters on the M&Ms? Black.
14. What % of each color do you get in a bag of M&Ms?
Brown=
Green=

30 %
20%

Yellow=

20%

Orange=

10%

Red=

10%

Blue=

10%

For the following questions do a google search as well.

1. What are the details of the great color quest?
"The M&M'S(R) Great Color Quest contest is designed to give the wonder of color back to the people," said Doug
Milne, senior marketing manager, M&M'S Brand. "While the color orange has now been found, there are still five colors
to go, with full bags of brown, red, yellow, blue and green M&M'S waiting to be found so that all the colors can come
together again."

2. What company has M&Ms teamed up with for the great color quest?
Volkswagen
3. The M&M Spokescandies were introduced as a form of marketing. Who are they? (List
their names)
Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Crispy, Ms. Brown

4. Th e r e a r e g a m e s yo u ca n p l a y wi t h M& M s. U s e t h e i n t e r n e t t o f i n d a g a m e
a n d t r y p l a yi n g i t wi t h yo u r g r o u p . W ri t e o u t t h e n a m e o f t h e g a m e a n d t h e
i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r h o w t o p l a y.
M & M G e t To K n o w You G a m e

M&M Data Collection Worksheet

1. How many candies are in your bag (count twice for accuracy)?_88
2. Count each candy per color and quantity (count twice for accuracy) Yellow: 12
Blue: 29
Orange: 25
Red: 6
Green: 12
Brown: 4

Color

Number

6
12
4
12
25
29

Red
Green
Brown
Yellow
Orange
Blue

3. What is the percentage of each color per bag? ((# of color/total)*100)

Color

Percent

Red

6.8%

Green

13.6%

Brown

4.5%

Yellow

13.6%

Orange

28.4%

Blue

33%

4. Using Excel, create a pie chart showing the percent of each color M&M. (Use the data in
the first table above). Change the colors of the chart to match the colors of the M&Ms.
Submit the chart to the hand in folder so it can be marked in colour.

Colours
Red

7%

Green

14%

33%

Brown
Yellow

5%

Orange
Blue

14%
28%

Grou

p Comparison Worksheet
Communicate with the members of other groups to complete the table below:
Group
Name

Total in
Bag

% of
Red

% of
Blue

% of
Green

% of
Brown

% of
Yellow

% of
Orange

88

6.8%

33%

13.6%

4.5%

13.6%

28.4%

Group 1

77

18%

0.13%

13%

13%

21%

0.18%

Group 2

84

4.76%

22.6%

20%

7.14%

21.6%

26%

Group 3

75

20%

28%

18.6%

13%

5.3%

14.6%

Group 4

71

22.5%

23.9%

9.8%

8.4%

19.7%

28.4%

80

20%

10%

10%

30%

20%

10%

Our Group

*m&m
standard
%s

*m&m % can be found online

Solutions Worksheet
1. Does each bag of M&Ms contain the same number of candies? No
2. If the answer to number 1 is no, what is the average number of candies per bag? 80
3. How many of each color M&Ms is in each bag? (Approximately) 6, 12, 4, 12, 25, 29

4. How do the Group results compare to the M&M website results? Close

5. Which color is most prevalent? Blue

6. Is there a trend or reason for the most prevalent color? Blue is the newest colour.
7. Which color is least prevalent? Brown.
8. Is there a trend or reason for the least prevalent color? Brown is the least lively colour.

9. Why do they introduce new colors as a marketing strategy? To recognize everyones favourite
colours.

10. List any examples of advertisements, TV shows, movies that have used M&Ms (or
specific color M&Ms) as part of the script. The Big Bang Theory.

11. If you were marketing a bag of M&Ms what would be your breakdown of each color and why?
They all taste the same and they taste great.

12. What does your group think of the Great Color Quest marketing strategy? (Explain)
It is a good way to attract a younger audience.

Orange Is Coming Back to the M&M'S Mix; Great Color Quest Consumer Contest Yields First
Winner with Discovery of Bag of All-Orange M&M'S
Feb. 5, 2004
Orange was officially "found" in South Carolina and will be added back to the M&M'S(R) stable of
colors. Black and white since New Year's Eve, M&M'S launched the Great Color Quest consumer
contest to bring back the color, enlisting the support of consumers to find the six all-colored bags
of M&M'S from among the more than 37 million black-and-white packages.
"The M&M'S(R) Great Color Quest contest is designed to give the wonder of color back to the
people," said Doug Milne, senior marketing manager, M&M'S Brand. "While the color orange has
now been found, there are still five colors to go, with full bags of brown, red, yellow, blue and
green M&M'S waiting to be found so that all the colors can come together again."
While the color orange has now been found, there are still five colors to go, with full bags of
brown, red, yellow, blue and green M&M'S waiting to be found so that all the colors can come
together again.
In South Carolina, a life-long fan of M&M'S purchased an all-orange bag at a local store and soon
discovered that she was the first Great Color Quest winner. Consumers who purchase one of the
remaining black and white bags of M&M'S(R) containing candies that are all one color may also
be winners. A total of six lucky winners will receive a 2004 Volkswagen New Beatle Convertible
GLS in the color of the candy they discover, a trip to Los Angeles, and $20,000 in cash.
Each of the M&M'S(R) varieties - milk chocolate, peanut, crispy, almond, peanut butter and minis have turned black and white and are part of the Great Color Quest contest. More information
about the Great Color Quest is available at http://www.mms.com/us/bw/quest/.