McLean, Virginia - After M&M's announced the retirement of its famous spokescandies due to right-wing backlash, it seems that it was a publicity stunt after all.

Candy-coated what?

The rather bizarre chain of events began last month when M&M's announced that their famous spokescandies – animated versions of candy used in its promotional material – would be put on an "indefinite pause."

Actor Maya Rudolph was called in to replace them in the company's new marketing assets.

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The decision came after criticism from right-wing pundits like Tucker Carlson, who deemed the candy too "woke" after the brand made changes to promote inclusivity, like swapping the green spokescandy's go-go boots for sneakers.

Yep – this was a very real talking point on Fox News.

At the time of its announcement, many criticized the decision to retire them, saying that the brand was merely feeding into inexplicable criticisms, but it looks like that was never the real plan.

With a somewhat baffling pair of Super Bowl commercials, M&M's concluded its extensive marketing campaign with the announcement of the spokescandies' comeback.

The first M&M's ad to air during Super Bowl LVII begins with a man tearing down a poster of the spokescandies – an apparent homage to the right-wing backlash.

But things take a weird turn as Rudolph introduces a disgusting replacement for the traditional candies: candy-coated clam bites called Ma&Ya's.

The red spokescandy is seen in the background of the fake ad holding up a sign saying "HELP!"

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The second ad then confirmed the return of the spokescandies, showing the colorful characters at a press conference commenting on their reinstatement.

"They're back for good," the text in the ad reads.

While the unique campaign certainly caught viewers' attention, was it actually effective in promoting the brand?

Though the marketing campaign was a clever spin on the controversy, some argued that it likely went over the heads of most viewers.

For the more chronically online Super Bowl viewers, the controversy surrounding the spokescandies was well-known, but many hadn't even thought twice about the brand's marketing.

On the other hand, those who did know about the buildup to the ads likely predicted the outcome.

"M&M's announcing the obvious return of their mascots in a commercial immediately after the Super Bowl after a super dumb marketing stunt," one user wrote.

The clam candy at the center of it all also baffled many viewers and spurred confusion more than anything else.

To top it off, the press conference ad was saved for the postgame, meaning many viewers may not have even caught it after the game's conclusion.

As bizarre as it was, M&M's certainly does some credit for taking advantage of the free publicity afforded by the controversy.