Mentos has launched a Facebook community for fans who prefer their mints with a little art and music. The Fresh Goes Better Facebook application allows visitors to view and hear original work by artists who upload their creations directly to the U.S. Mentos Facebook page.

Work is organized in three categories: fresh graphic art, fresh music and fresh video. A featured artists section on the page will spotlight work that is the freshest of the fresh.

«After years of stumbling upon and admiring Mentos-inspired art here and there, it was time to share the wealth,» said Craig Cuchra, brand manager for Mentos. «Creating the Fresh Goes Better application on Facebook is a way of sharing the incredible energy of our fans by becoming a curator for work by established and aspiring artists in three genres. It will allow art enthusiasts of all ages across America to enjoy and offer visions of freshness.»

In an unusually simple, hands-off arrangement, artists who exhibit their work through the Mentos Fresh Goes Better Facebook application retain all rights to their work at all times, and are free to link to other sites for viewers or listeners who may want to purchase what they see and hear.

The Mentos Fresh Goes Better page, which launched with full functionality on May 19, is already being credited for some fresh thinking. It is the first application on Facebook to include an embedded MP3 player, allowing visitors to listen to showcased music directly from the page.

Here are two latest commercials for Mentos, which can be found on the brand’s official US website.