So let's "peep" at the candy's website, MarshmallowPeeps.com. Is the site too sweet for its own good or just the perfect recipe of sugarcoated tradition?

Just Born, which also produces candies like Mike and Ike, Zours, and Hot Tamales, focuses a lot of energy on promoting the Peeps brand. The blue and yellow Peeps logo is as prominent on the site as it is on the candy's packaging. The website provides additional exposure to the brand by presenting information about the candy and its history through a factory tour, news, and "fun facts."

There seems to be a dichotomy on the website, however, between the content targeting adults and child-friendly sections. On one hand, the look of the website, with bright colors and flowery design, seems to be geared toward kids. And kids are definitely the focus for the fan club, which offers coloring pages and buddy icons featuring Peeps. But, amid all the kids' stuff, the site and the Peeps brand seem to be trying to make the candy more mature, with fancy recipes for fondue, crème-filled cupcakes, and Valentine's Day bouquets.

In contrast, Cadbury Crème Eggs, which has its own homepage as part of Cadbury.co.uk, strikes a better balance between kids and adults. The Crème Egg homepage still has the fun kids' games and "gooey extras," while adult-oriented content, like candy history and press information, is available through the main Cadbury site. A little more confusing than the Peeps site, perhaps, but it doesn't make the viewer feel like a 5-year-old.

But maybe the idea behind the Peeps website is to make you feel like a kid again—in fact, age is just a number when it comes to Peeps fans. MarshmallowPeeps.com acknowledges that many different types of people enjoy the candy and encourages everyone to get involved with the discussions on the site. There are polls asking if people enjoy eating their Peeps "Fresh or Aged?" (that is, stale), a fan club, and message boards where Peeps connoisseurs can bond over and argue about their shared obsession.

But while recognizing their diehard fans, Just Born and Marshmallow Peeps continue to try to attract new customers, and the website reflects this commitment. The "New in 2007" section, which is prominent on the homepage, showcases the new color chick (green), sugar-free Peeps, and even Cocoa Bunnies for this Easter.

Another way that the Peeps brand is evolving is through its "Always in Season" campaign, which, just like it says, encourages consumers to pick up the treat during non-holiday times. This campaign is also featured on the website, once again showing how the brand and site work together to promote the growth of Marshmallow Peeps.

While the site may be a sweet-and-sticky overload for the average consumer, MarshmallowPeeps.com is in sync with the Peeps brand on many levels, including the bright color scheme, the focus on new products, and the expansion and knowledge of the brand. But while the site and company encourage the "always in season" aspect of Marshmallow Peeps, I think I'll stick to eating them as an occasional holiday treat.