The Hershey's Kisses 'Christmas Bells' Commercial Controversy, Explained

The iconic Kisses "Christmas Bells" commercial has aired since 1989, but in 2020, Hershey's made an unfavorable change to the iconic TV spot.

By Allison Schonter

Hershey's Kisses "Christmas Bells" commercial may be an iconic part of the holiday season, but the company found itself embedded in a bit of controversy surrounding its longest-running commercial. For the past three decades, the ad, reimagining Hershey's Kisses as bells playing the tune "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," marked the beginning of the holiday season for many, but all that changed in 2020 when the company sparked social media backlash over its decision to change the iconic TV spot.

Running just a few seconds long, the Kisses "Christmas Bells" commercial was conceptualized in 1989 and originally featured a set of Kisses standing in the place of bells that play a rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." While the original commercial ended with one of the bells wiping its "brow" with exhaustion, after 30 years of airing, the beloved chocolate-maker in 2020 released a new take on the commercial. In the 2020 version, titled "Bells to Blossoms," a child's hand pops into the frame and grabs a Hershey's Kiss afterward. The commercial then cut to a father-daughter duo using the small chocolates to make Peanut Butter Blossoms, with the song continuing to play on brass instruments instead of bells.

The change didn't go unnoticed, and the "Bells to Blossoms" TV spot was blasted on social media, with one person commenting on YouTube, "I don't mind an ADDITIONAL holiday commercial for Hershey's, but warping the classic bells commercial SUCKS!" Somebody else wrote, "Look forward to original every year. Why change it? Don't ruin it just make a separate commercial." On X (formerly Twitter), somebody even asked Hershey's to "please go back to the original version or the commercial with the bell ringing kisses," adding that the commercial is now "ruined."

The backlash was so fierce that several Change.org petitions were created in an effort to bring back the original ad. According to Fox News, one person, who admitted that "this may not be something that warrants a petition," created a petition to "get our old commercial back!" Another petition wrote that "while we understand all commercials come to an end eventually, it feels a little wrong to end right here. We understand it's gonna have to end eventually, maybe it needs an extension just to squeeze out that last bit of joy. 4 years, 9 years, 14 years, or 19 years."

The outrage eventually forced Hershey's to respond. In a statement to Today, the company explained they "made the decision to make a slight update to the original that kept the opening holiday melodies and incorporated another holiday tradition, baking – melding together these two time-honored traditions. From playing the bells to baking peanut butter blossoms, it's Hershey's Kisses that have stood the test of time." The company went on to share some good news for those missing the original commercial, sharing, "for viewers who love our original – don't worry, we'll be running both holiday ads this season. Keep your eyes peeled for our classic and iconic Bells spot as well as the newest 'Bells to Blossoms.'"

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