Mars Bar
A year of Chocablogging, and we’ve somehow managed to avoid reviewing the granddaddy of all chocolate bars – Mars. Well, today I’m going to rectify that.
First off, I do need to explain to our American readers that what you know as a Mars Bar and what the rest of the world knows as a Mars Bar. This (proper!) Mars Bar is similar to – but not exactly the same as – what you know as Milky Way in the U.S. And what the rest of the world knows as a Milky Way is more like your 3 Musketeers bar… which in turn, is quite like our Mars Flyte.
And now my head hurts. It’s all just too complicated for me – but luckily (!) someone has made a web site devoted to showing the differences: The Visible Mars Bar Project
With that out of the way, we should talk a little about the history of the Mars Bar. According to Wikipedia, the Mars Bar was invented in Britain (Slough, of all places) by an American – Forrest Mars – in 1932. Historical documents show that it is the only interesting thing ever to have happened in Slough.
For the first few years of production, Mars apparently bought in chocolate from Cadbury for the Mars Bar because they weren’t able to produce mass produce enough chocolate. Personally, I think it would be fun if this partnership had continued… just think of the possibilities… Mars Bar with Creme Egg filling anyone?
Anyway, the basic design of the Mars Bar hasn’t changed much over the years: Malt nougat, topped with caramel and coated in milk chocolate. And there really isn’t any need to change it, because frankly, it’s perfect for what it is.
A Mars Bar is what you buy when you want a quick snack on the move or an energy boost for those long afternoons in the office. Sure, there are hundreds of similar chocolate bars in the shops, but none do the trick quite like a Mars Bar. It’s chewy, filling and very sweet.
Which brings me on to the advertising… or more precisely, the old advertising slogan: “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play”. Genius. That’s exactly what Mars does, and you have to wonder why they changed it for a series of wishy-washy meaningless slogans. I couldn’t even tell you what the current slogan-du-jour is. And I don’t really care.
1986 Mars commercial
You see, “Work, rest and play” perfectly describes a Mars Bar for me. It’s a quick, tasty unpretentious snack. It’s most definitely not the kind of chocolate you’d buy your girlfriend for her birthday (unless you enjoy being slapped in the face and having a Mars Bar inserted somewhere painful).
But the Mars Bar along with Cadbury Dairy Milk are the very essence of every day British chocolate. Even if it was invented by an American. In Slough.
Posted by Dom on 06 Mar 2007 at 12:03 PM
| 44 Comments
Filed in Reviews under caramel, mars, milk, nougat, UK
March 6, 2007 : 2:24pm
And there was that French translation : une barre mars par jour, au travail, au repos et dans les loisirs! I can even remember the way I used to hold it, as in your you tube ad video… Quite sexy!
March 6, 2007 : 2:37pm
Thanks for clearing that up.
March 6, 2007 : 11:29pm
It’s not as confusing as it used to be. They discontinued the Mars bar (the nutty one) about seven years ago, so soon American’s will forget all about it.
Personally I think Milky Way is a better name for the bar, because of the fluffy malted milk nougat and milk chocolate coating.
I prefer them in the mini sizes, something about there being more chocolate.
March 7, 2007 : 12:36am
Ah, good old Slough – actually, Wernham Hogg, the paper merchants in Ricky Gervais’ brilliant comedy were based in Slough.. Damn shame it was fictional!
March 9, 2007 : 12:22pm
“A Mars a day keeps the dentist in pay” as I used to say when I lived in the UK
March 9, 2007 : 4:37pm
“Personally I think Milky Way is a better name for the bar, because of the fluffy malted milk nougat and milk chocolate coating.”
But our Milky Ways are fluffy and coated in milk chocolate. They’re like Mars bars, only with a white fluff and no caramel. And they’re smaller.
March 12, 2007 : 5:11am
lol have you tried a deep fried mars bar
April 3, 2007 : 8:03am
mmm i love mars bars there like the twix always on the shelf and you dont think of them until you eat one and think how did i forget this bar!!!:P:P
April 3, 2007 : 4:25pm
has anyone tried mars planets? if so what are they like?
May 3, 2007 : 2:04pm
What are Mars Planets like? My friends all say they’re not that nice cos they’re just like split up mars bars and only taste as good if you stuff them all in together so i’ve been trying to avoid them!
They sound like a less interesting version of Revel’s too but far less fun trying to work out whether the one you’ve picked out is one of the ones you like (mmmm… coffee flavour!!)
Personally i’ll stick to the Mars Bar itself
May 3, 2007 : 4:34pm
freakyfriend: That is essentially what Mars Planets are. One has nougat, one has crispy stuff (Mars Delight), and I forget the other. But they’re all pretty poor on their own.
May 16, 2007 : 10:56am
Cool site.
“And there really isn’t any need to change it, because frankly, it’s perfect for what it is.” They have changed it – from this month they’re now using animal rennet in its production rather than a veg-based enzyme: that means an awful lot of veggies won’t touch them anymore (a real shame as I used to live off the damn things :))
May 31, 2007 : 7:41am
mmm strange enough as i am i would love to try a white chocolate mars bar mmm :P..but to be honest i think im standing alone on this one lol :)
May 31, 2007 : 7:42am
:P
September 6, 2007 : 2:01pm
me love mars…but milkyway is sooooo much better!! :)
September 16, 2007 : 9:24pm
these are only good when they are frozen solid!!!
September 17, 2007 : 8:46pm
I love mars bars and if you eat one with a bag of peanuts ….you get a Marathon….mmmmmmmmm
September 24, 2007 : 10:39pm
i used to love mars bars until i found out it was them that caused my migranes. what can u do for people like me who would love a mars but cant because they give very bad migranes. email back to me asap thanks look forward to your comments.
November 26, 2007 : 6:10pm
i hate mars bars!!! but i love mars bar ice cream. so nice!!!
lol
btw interesting site
November 30, 2007 : 6:36pm
I am campaigning to bring back the MARS BAR. Remember? The semi-sweet chocolate candy bar with the little almond on top in the beige wrapper? If you liked it too, please sign my guestbook with any information and comments you’d like to. Here is the link to the guestbook:
http://www.mars-bars.com/
If you don’t mind, please include your name and email address – I’d like to show how much support there is out there for this candy bar. Then, maybe they’ll make it again! Thanks!! Jim
December 13, 2007 : 10:39pm
did they ever make mars bars with peanuts in them?
January 4, 2008 : 6:57pm
why have you put glucose in mars that sucks i liked mars whats the point in adding animal products in mars.
January 10, 2008 : 1:59pm
HELOOOO….MARZ IS PENGG
January 13, 2008 : 6:54am
Bring back the Midnight Mars bar,(dark choc).
Best bar ever
March 14, 2008 : 9:30pm
>Bring back the Midnight Mars bar,(dark choc).
Ditto
April 11, 2008 : 10:30am
I have being researching mars for a college project in marketing and i have to find out about there main comprtitors but i am having a little difficulty if ya can help please feel to do so tanx …
April 17, 2008 : 1:37pm
Doing a bachelor thesis at the moment on the american chocolate industry and I need the price development for chocolatebar prices? Could anyone assist me?
Thank you so much in advance!
April 23, 2008 : 3:50pm
i have just been hearing and seen an advert on television saying that u get a chance of getting a free football i am just wondering if that is true as i have a son that might be interested in getting one that is all i am wondering i am sorry for being so rude with my question sorry
April 23, 2008 : 4:34pm
John: Seems to be true – details are here:
http://www.mars-bar.co.uk/Balls/giveaway.aspx
April 29, 2008 : 2:59pm
all the ‘goodness’ lol
yeah right
its tastes great but its sure as hell aint good for ya!
April 30, 2008 : 10:20am
i wont 1
May 10, 2008 : 2:02pm
mars bars are great out of the fridge in this hot weather
May 12, 2008 : 5:54pm
chockadooby x x x x x x x x x x
May 12, 2008 : 5:55pm
yummy yummy in my tummy
May 29, 2008 : 8:11pm
bring on a WHITE CHOCOLATE MARS BAR :P
December 21, 2008 : 7:52am
I remembered the time when I first tasted Mars Chocolates, my father brought us chocolates when he came home to have a short-time vacation.. I really love Mars chocolates.
March 31, 2009 : 10:00pm
I never in my life have tried a Mars bar,but it sounds good!;]
March 31, 2009 : 10:44pm
P.s.,Awesome website!
September 25, 2009 : 7:04pm
can i have mars bar is it ok as i cant have gluten please help
October 13, 2009 : 12:35pm
Awesome thanks mate :)
December 30, 2009 : 4:44pm
Author may want to check his facts. To say the design of the Mars bar hasn’t changed is not true – back in the 1960’s and possibly into the 1970’s, the Mars bar was a flat bar with the almonds running along the top (usually about five or six of them). I liked it better because it had less nougat and was more chocolate and almonds (it wasn’t the narrow fat bar, such as the current Milky Way), but it was wider and flatter. It was SO much better back then – when they changed the shape, it changed the taste. I wish they would bring the old Mars bar back.
January 3, 2010 : 10:01pm
I just found a Mars Chocolate Almond Bar (tan package) at Walmart in Bloomington, IL. There was a big display of them for 50¢ each. I have yet to find them on the http://www.mars.com website. I did call the number on the package but they were closed but was able to check the packaging date and it was packaged in Oct. 2009.
January 20, 2010 : 4:49pm
Yeah, the Mars bar is back. I bought two at Wal-Mart yesterday, as did the guy in line in front of me.
January 21, 2010 : 7:47pm
Yeah Mars bars were made with peanuts they are called Snickers!
Mars Bars came back as of January 1 2010 they hit the shelves and they are doing very well, they are not a limited time candy bar but a candy bar that M&M Mars is selling exclusively at Walmart, you will not find them anyplace else except I imagine Sams Club. It is about time the Mars bar returned because the Snickers with almonds was weak in comparison and for goodness sake the company is M&M Mars and to have stopped making the Mars bar are you kidding? Also it would not kill them to run a commercial or two!