Mars Inc. sued for $10M over M&Ms ad

NEW YORK, April 3 (UPI) -- A woman is suing Mars Inc. for $10 million, claiming the U.S. company used her idea to incorporate "Addams Family" characters in its M&M ads but didn't pay her.

Bonnie Vent of Genesis Creations said in federal court papers she first approached the then-makers of M&Ms, Masterfoods, in August 2006, and pitched the idea of having characters from the TV show appear with animated M&Ms in an ad to promote both the candy and the release of an "Addams Family" DVD, the New York Post said.

Vent said she had hoped the campaign could be established in time for Halloween, but it never got off the ground.

The entertainment broker said she was, therefore, surprised when a commercial appeared in April 2007, featuring M&Ms candies dressed as "Addams Family" characters.

She is suing Mars for breach of implied contract and unfair enrichment, the Post said.

"The ads came out and they didn't pay us or even acknowledge the ideas came from us," Vent claimed. "It's like they said, 'We don't have to pay the cast members. We'll just turn them into M&Ms.'"

The newspaper said the company didn't return a request for comment.