Tech and candy. Not the intersection you’d expect, but at AfroTech, you’ll always find fresh ideas and innovation. Enter Mars Snacking, the company behind some of America’s favorite treats, like M&M’S, SKITTLES, EXTRA GUM and SNICKERS.

At AfroTech 2025, Mars showed conference-goers how the candy maker has progressed far beyond Willy Wonka’s golden ticket strategy.

During her interview at the Blavity Stage, “Marketing to the New Consumer with the CMO of Mars,” North America CMO Gabrielle Wesley touched on why understanding audiences is critical, especially when it comes to Gen Z and Gen Alpha. “They don’t necessarily trust brands, they trust people,” Wesley said. “The influencer culture, the creator culture, is what they know. It’s not like they grew up on brand jingles and things like that… They grew up on people that they trust… giving recommendations. They’re loyal to those recommendations, not necessarily to the brands.” So understanding real shopping habits matters more than ever.

AfroTech attendees also got to have a lot of fun with select brands, seeing colorful displays for some of Mars’ best-known products, visitors were able to engage with the Skittles rainbow, have an immersive photo experience with Extra Gum, discover which M&M’S character matches their personality, and jot down their feelings when “hangry” at the Snickers booth.

In the session, “From Clicks to Candy: Using VR to Redefine UX,” execs from the company’s digital shopper insights and digital commerce strategy teams demonstrated how Mars’ integration of VR tech helps them understand shoppers and better connect them to their snacks. Integrating technology like VR into the brand’s user experience development has never been more important because it allows them to connect with and understand consumers whose relationship with brands changes in more significant ways with each generation.

Conference-goers could also explore the possibility of a different kind of treat: career opportunities. They got down to business with the company’s recruitment component. Mars has more than 150,000 employees around the world and a commitment to equal opportunity to all people, making a visit to the Mars activation sweet indeed.

Whether it’s work or play, understanding how to earn the trust of consumers, or meeting the challenges of e-commerce, Mars Snacking and AfroTech 25 explored a, well, delicious range of possibilities.

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