The candy company Mars, Inc. sent patents to the USPTO to protect its “Snickers” chocolate bar in Web3. Submitted on June 13th, Mars’ trademark requests suggest it’s developing “Snickers” NFTs and metaverse applications.
Mars explicitly says it wants to use its stylized “SNICKERS” logo in “NFTs” and “virtual drinks and snacks.” Mars may sell these NFTs in digital markets, as it mentions “online retail store services” and “metaverse platforms” in its trademark requests.
It doesn’t seem like Mars is only interested in creating digital versions of its “Snickers” candy bars. These documents reveal Mars is working on “entertainment services” related to its popular milk chocolate product. The Virginia-based company also mentioned using “visual art” and “video recordings” in NFTs.
As for metaverse applications, Mars included the phrase “virtual reality content” in one section of its patents. The company may also be working on playable “avatars” related to its “Snickers” brand.
Later in its patent requests, Mars hints that it may offer NFT “rewards” to customers. Interestingly, these documents frequently reference “digital tokens” and “digital currency,” suggesting Mars is considering cryptocurrency integrations.
Although Mars’ patents only focus on “Snickers,” they often mention NFT licensing for other snack categories like “gum” and “frozen confectionery.” This suggests Mars may be considering bringing other brands like Doublemint or Big Red into the metaverse.
Mars, Inc. has yet to release an official statement regarding the newly released “Snickers” NFT patents.
Snack Brands are “Hungry” for Metaverse Exposure
Snack manufacturers may not be as aggressive as other industries in Web3, but more companies are starting to experiment with NFTs and the metaverse.
For instance, Mondelez’s Cadbury ran an immersive metaverse ad campaign in India this Valentine’s Day. In partnership with the YUG metaverse, Cadbury used AR and VR technology to bring couples “to the moon” for a virtual dating experience.
UTZ Brands is another snack manufacturer with its eyes set on Web3. In March of 2022, UTZ sent NFT-related patent filings to the USPTO that are similar to Mars’ “Snickers” filings.
Speaking of chip brands, Frito-Lay owner PepsiCo dropped a “SMILE ImpactNFT” in 2021 featuring its famous Lay’s potato chips. Minted on the Polygon blockchain, this NFT auction raised funds for charitable organizations in Romania.
On the topic of charitable & snack-related NFTs, Rarity Sniper recently discovered Nestlé dropped “Trix Globe NFTs” on OpenSea. These snow globe NFTs featured an image of the Trix rabbit and Dubai’s soaring skyscrapers. The money raised from this auction went to Emirates Red Crescent Charity.
Whether they’re salty or sweet, snacks are steadily making their way into Web3.