Skittles Ditches Rainbow Colors to Celebrate LGBT Pride

Skittles1
Skittles
Jerome Hudson

Skittles traded in its iconic rainbow packaging for a monochromatic black-and-white design in honor of LGBT Pride parade celebrations in London this week.

The candy company joined in the celebration earlier this week and handed out limited-edition black-and-white bags filled with white Skittles, with a black S imprinted on them. An all-white Skittles float was also seen making its way through the thousands of revelers during the Pride parade in London.

Leading up to London Pride, the candy company released an open letter Friday explaining its celebratory packaging.

“So this is kind of awkward, but we’re just gonna go ahead and address the rainbow-colored elephant in the room,” the candy brand’s letter read. “You have the rainbow … we have the rainbow … and usually that’s just hunky-dory.

“But this Pride, only one rainbow deserves to be the centre of attention—yours. And we’re not going to be the ones to steal your rainbow thunder, no siree.”

The letter was accompanied by an animated video which featured the same message.

“We’ve given up our rainbow for Pride,” the YouTube video said, urging viewers to “find out why. #onerainbow #prideinlondon“

In the U.S., the Skittles company tweeted its support for the LGBT community.

The London Pride Festival took place June 25-26.

Skittles is hardly the only food brand to show its support for the LGBT community by modifying its products or changing its advertising. In September, Doritos released a limited edition bag of rainbow-colored chips to support the It Gets Better campaign, which provides support to gay, lesbian and transgender youth.

In 2012, Kraft Foods created a rainbow-colored Oreo cookie for a print advertising campaign.

 

Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson

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