ABSTRACT
In 1911, Frank C. Mars began making and selling butter cream candy from his home in Tacoma, Washington. From its modest beginnings, Mars, Incorporated grew steadily until 1923, when the business rapidly expanded after the introduction of the Milky Way candy bar. In 2012, Mars was headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operated in six segments – petcare, chocolate, Wrigley, food, drinks and symbioscience – with more than 90 percent of revenues generated by pet care, chocolate and Wrigley. The theory that Mars was profiting from a tragedy created significant public backlash for the company. Mars Inc.’s response was met with pragmatic acceptance by industry peers and experts. Mars, Inc., would have to develop a strategy to appropriately manage the Skittles brand that was rapidly becoming recognized as a symbol of racial injustice, tragedy, youth and innocence. The company also faced the critical question regarding what it should do with the additional profits.
