As far as famous anthropomorphized candies go, the red and yellow M&M’s have got to be among the most recognizable. Now, the spokescandies – especially the red one – are partnering with Amazon MGM Studios to lend their clout to a campaign for an upcoming Christmas movie aptly titled Red One, which opened in theatres on November 15.

Red One is a family action flick about an unlikely duo on a mission to save a kidnapped Santa Claus. While the M&Ms aren’t in the film, with this partnership, the brand is trying to get as close to the action as possible. Consumers can follow along as the spokescandies plead their case to the stars of the film, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons, and take matters into their own hands by hijacking the film’s trailer and movie poster and creating their own moments celebrating the movie.

While this is a global campaign, M&M’s in Canada will rely on localized activations, holiday-themed experiences, and festive content across digital, social, and in-store platforms to engage with Canadian families. “M&M’s will also engage Canadians through owned social channels and impactful influencer partnerships to generate buzz around M&M’s (specifically ‘Red’) as an essential part of the Red One experience. Select cinemas across Canada will feature co-branded popcorn buckets, adding to the excitement,” the brand said in a statement.

“The M&M’s Red One campaign targets families and movie lovers, with a focus on adults aged 18-49,” Patrick  Zeng, marketing director at Mars Wrigley Canada tells MiC. “In partnering with Amazon MGM Studio’s Red One, we also hope to engage new audiences to the brand, including those who enjoy festive traditions and seasonal movies, as well as long-time fans of M&M’s.”

Zeng says the media mix for the campaign “prioritizes social platforms that engage our audience, with a 15-second trailer running in November and December, supported by paid influencer content to maximize reach and engagement. These platforms are ideal for this type of creative, viral content that resonates with our target demographic, helping to amplify campaign visibility and engagement.”

Paid media and in-store promotions for the campaign is handled by EssenceMediacom. The creative was led by Mars Wrigley. PR was by Middle Child in Canada.