Skittles have gone crunchy.
After freeze-dried candy went viral on TikTok in 2024, the Mars brand created its own version called Skittles Pop’d, a complete 180 from its regular chewy Skittles.
The new candy, originally released in October 2024, was teased last month via an interactive social campaign building off of the brand’s long-running “Taste the Rainbow” series of ads which first launched in 1994.
This time around, Skittles playfully urged consumers to “Legally Acknowledge the Rainbow” by signing a “legal” contract on its site to ensure that they understand the “crunchiness” of Skittles Pop’d. An exclusive Snapchat tongue-signing filter also allowed consumers to join in on the fun.
The ad exclusively ran on social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat from March 25 to April 6.
Additionally, Skittles worked with DDB Chicago and Critical Mass for a 30-second hero spot highlighting Gen Z’s expected mixed reactions to the new candy. The ad is currently running only on YouTube.
“There’s crunch in my Skittles and I’m feeling deceived and astonished,” one girl says while her facial expression changes between the two emotions. “I’m petrified and amused,” says another boy, as his face twitches.
For the new ads, Skittles decided to lean into transitional moments that Gen Z is currently experiencing like going to college, getting their first job, and/or buying their first home.
“Bringing a big change to their favorite candy, no matter how delicious the change may be, was bound to cause some conflicting emotions,” said Ashley Gill, vp of brand and content, North America at Mars. “Asking Gen Z fans to sign a contract with their tongue to acknowledge change, or creating work that shows conflicting emotions hints at a POV on the world that Skittles shares with this generation.”
