With zany Super Bowl stunts and innovative M&Ms, Mars Wrigley tries to stand out in a crowded candy aisle

CHICAGO - As the world's largest candy-maker, Mars Wrigley Confectionery faces a challenging landscape for mass-market sweets.

For starters, "sugar has really become public enemy No. 1," said Jared Koerten, head of packaged food research at Euromonitor. Consumers increasingly are spending their snack dollars on upstart nutrition bars, savory snacks and fancy gourmet chocolates they can gift. Meanwhile, Italy's Ferrero - maker of Nutella - is gobbling up candy market share with recent acquisitions of Fannie May Confections, Ferrara Candy and Nestle's U.S. confectionary business.

But Mars, the company behind Snickers, Starburst and other stalwart brands, has stepped up to the plate with creative takes on iconic products, such as the upcoming launch of M&Ms filled with a Nutella-like hazelnut spread, and attention-grabbing marketing.

Its Super Bowl ad for Skittles this year is not a typical TV spot but a 30-minute Broadway musical starring actor Michael C. Hall and a 17-member cast