{"id":24848,"date":"2025-10-15T00:21:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T00:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/?p=24848"},"modified":"2025-10-15T00:32:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T00:32:50","slug":"skittles-marketing-phenomenon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/skittles-marketing-phenomenon\/","title":{"rendered":"How Skittles Weaponized Weirdness for 30 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Some brands find success by standing out. Skittles built a long-term marketing strategy around standing <em>apart<\/em>\u2014from its category, from expectations, and often from logic itself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the past 30 years, the brand has committed to a campaign framework that embraces the surreal, invites discomfort, and challenges conventional thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What began with a single tagline\u2014\u201cTaste the Rainbow\u201d\u2014evolved into a modular, long-running platform known for boldly weird choices and cultural staying power. Skittles pushed boundaries and redefined what candy marketing could look and feel like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This case study explores how Skittles turned structured absurdity into a strategic advantage, and what marketers can learn from its commitment to creative discipline, risk, and reinvention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"760\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jWNrXgpGLNk?si=07sA0NfbIQKtnPY1\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<h2>Candy Marketing Before Skittles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before 1994, Skittles was just another sugary snack in a crowded market. The candy itself was loud\u2014bright, fruity, and chaotic\u2014but the marketing didn\u2019t reflect any of that personality. Early ads were safe, conventional, and easy to forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the early \u201990s, the candy category had become formulaic. Ads focused on taste, texture, and product shots. There was little room for storytelling, and even less for brands that wanted to challenge expectations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the cultural moment was shifting: Gen X and younger Millennials were responding more to irony, satire, and brands that didn\u2019t take themselves too seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Skittles and its agency partner, D\u2019Arcy Masius Benton &amp; Bowles (DMB&amp;B), saw an opportunity. The idea was to make people feel slightly off-kilter. In 1994, they launched a campaign that would set the tone for the next three decades: <strong>Taste the Rainbow.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-rainbow-and-text-Pet-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow.jpg\" alt=\"Skittles Original candy pack with rainbow and text Pet the Rainbow Taste the Rainbow\" class=\"wp-image-24849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-rainbow-and-text-Pet-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-rainbow-and-text-Pet-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-rainbow-and-text-Pet-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>Campaign Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first \u201cTaste the Rainbow\u201d ads abandoned traditional candy tropes. Instead of celebrating sweetness or fun, they told strange, deadpan stories where Skittles played an unsettling role. Like a man whose hands turned everything into candy or a rabbit who answered questions on a mountaintop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the campaign evolved, so did its creative language. Like <a href=\"https:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/billion-dollar-brand\/\">Absolut<\/a> before them, the team created a flexible structure\u2014<strong>[Verb] the Rainbow<\/strong>\u2014that allowed for infinite reinterpretation. Touch the Rainbow. Believe the Rainbow. Midas Touch the Rainbow. Crunch the Rainbow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, the campaign expanded beyond traditional media. Each new execution was part of the same strange universe but unique in its own right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few standouts:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>The Midas Touch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A 2008 spot turned a man\u2019s \u201ccandy touch\u201d into a tragicomic narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"760\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qp0WBiME_fM?si=P4myun8uREnDYtMg\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<h3>Skittles the Musical<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A one-night Broadway musical replaced a Super Bowl ad in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"760\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yivi0ap2zoI?si=TNEJpGaBCuG3ewb3\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<h3>Apologize the Rainbow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A 35-minute livestream <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dandad.org\/work\/d-ad-awards-archive\/skittles-apologize-the-rainbow\">apologized<\/a><em> by name <\/em>to thousands of angry fans after an unpopular flavor change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"760\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qNUecP2F5oM?si=2z1I8MEz6edPGSZl\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>These campaigns reinforced Skittles\u2019 long-term brand equity and gave the internal team a platform to keep experimenting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Why It Worked<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Several key elements have contributed to the campaign\u2019s longevity and success, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>A flexible creative scaffold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201c[Verb] the Rainbow\u201d structure gave Skittles a modular formula that could adapt to new contexts while staying recognizable. It allowed fresh ideas to flourish without drifting off-brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Consistency of tone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even as the creative became more surreal or self-aware, the brand never broke character. That creative discipline made the campaign feel like a coherent body of work, not one-off stunts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Emotional contrast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The ads often blended humor with discomfort, absurdity with restraint. This emotional tension made the spots more memorable\u2014and gave audiences something to talk about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Strong agency partnerships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Skittles maintained long-standing relationships with agencies like DMB&amp;B and later DDB. These partnerships built mutual trust, enabling bolder ideas and long-term creative alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Willingness to embrace risk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From skipping a Super Bowl ad to staging a musical, Skittles made choices few brands would greenlight. The team leaned into uncertainty, and created campaigns people wanted to experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-text-Pluck-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow.jpg\" alt=\"Skittles Original candy pack with text Pluck the Rainbow Taste the Rainbow\" class=\"wp-image-24850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-text-Pluck-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-text-Pluck-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Skittles-Original-candy-pack-with-text-Pluck-the-Rainbow-Taste-the-Rainbow-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>Impact and Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Taste the Rainbow is consistently cited as one of the most successful and enduring marketing efforts of the last several decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Significant sales increase:<\/strong> During the height of the &#8220;Taste the Rainbow&#8221; campaign (specifically cited for the period between 1994 and 2000), Skittles&#8217; revenue more than doubled, reaching a reported <a href=\"https:\/\/mediaborne.co.uk\/the-evolution-of-skittles-adverts-video-production-company-blog\/\">$200 million annually<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Production capacity:<\/strong> The campaign was so effective that it reportedly helped drive up sales (110% production capacity).<\/li><li><strong>High slogan recognition:<\/strong> &#8220;Taste the Rainbow&#8221; has become one of the most recognizable and enduring sweet slogans in the world, creating strong brand recall.<\/li><li><strong>Unique brand positioning:<\/strong> The campaign&#8217;s signature bizarre, surreal, and humorous approach gave Skittles a unique, distinctive positioning in a crowded candy market.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Strong brand affinity:<\/strong> The campaign has been credited with building brand affinity and generating a large fan base, evidenced by high numbers of social media followers (e.g., millions of Facebook fans).<\/li><li><strong>Social media success: <\/strong>Skittles back catalogue of commercials and video content has racked up millions of views on YouTube.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Colorful-candy-pieces-floating-and-scattered-against-blue-sky-background.jpeg\" alt=\"Colorful candy pieces floating and scattered against blue sky background\" class=\"wp-image-24851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Colorful-candy-pieces-floating-and-scattered-against-blue-sky-background.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Colorful-candy-pieces-floating-and-scattered-against-blue-sky-background-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Colorful-candy-pieces-floating-and-scattered-against-blue-sky-background-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>Marketer Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Structure enables risk.<\/strong> A consistent framework like \u201c[Verb] the Rainbow\u201d creates space to take creative leaps without losing your voice.<\/li><li><strong>Consistency builds trust.<\/strong> Skittles never winked at the audience or broke tone. That commitment made the weirdness feel intentional.<\/li><li><strong>Discomfort invites engagement.<\/strong> The best creative makes people pause\u2014not just smile. When audiences feel slightly off-balance, they\u2019re more likely to remember.<\/li><li><strong>Partnerships matter.<\/strong> Long-term agency relationships give teams the runway needed to refine and protect ambitious ideas.<\/li><li><strong>Outrage can be a tool.<\/strong> When handled strategically, negative feedback becomes a way to show responsiveness and creativity.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Media Shower\u2019s AI marketing platform helps brands find their flavor. <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/user\/free_trial\"><strong><em>Click here for a free trial<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"category-view-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>More Tools for Busy Marketing Managers:<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"category-view-articles ms-submit-posts\">\n\t\t\t\t<section id=\"recent-posts\" class=\"recent-posts\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t        <div id=\"post\">\n\t\t\t            <header 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marketing phenomenon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":24852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[459],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24848"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/109"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24848"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24848\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24854,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24848\/revisions\/24854"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}