Did Minnie Mouse really need a pantsuit…?

Quite the series of branding updates going on—at M&Ms, the green M&M now wears track shoes. Over at Disney, Minnie Mouse just got a pantsuit. What’s led to this fashion update—what do brands expect to gain from it? In the words of Oscar Wilde— there is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. We’re certainly talking about these brands, but are they getting more from this than just idle chatter?