AdSnacking: Skittles Ad Says "It's Okay To Make Out With Animals!"
Every so often, a commercial airs that offends people so deeply that they mount a public protest. It's an amazing country we live in when you can spend free time protesting a commercial and not your oppressive tyrannical government.
The group "One Million Moms" (which probably has a very noisy monthly book club meeting) has recently focused the crosshairs of their moral rifle — which is obviously protected under the 2nd amendment — at an ad for new Skittles Riddles. The group often protests against commercials that "subject families to the decay of morals and values," and this time they're trying to get Skittles to pull an ad they say makes bestiality seem humorous. I'm not a constitutional scholar, but I thought freedom of speech still exists, even in TV commercials.
So with the future of our children hanging in the balance, in today's AdSnacking we take on one of the last frontiers of taboo weirdness: soft-core bestiality.
Product: D-
IT'S ALL THE SAME...IF YOU JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES
This new Skittles Riddles product tricks you with the color on the outside not matching the internal flavor. So basically it eliminates your ability to filter out the flavor of Skittle you hate (which is probably purple). While I'm not repulsed by female-on-walrus action, I am totally grossed out by Skittles. Skittles are the cilantro of the candy world – delicious to some, like soap to others. I'll take a hardcore makeout sesh with a wild sea beast over a bag of Skittles any day.
Messaging: C
YOU COULD ALWAYS JUST TURN OFF THE TV AND TALK TO YOUR KIDS?
Riddle me this One Million Moms: if you're so concerned about this commercial's pro-bestiality message, maybe take some of the effort you put into that protest campaign, sit down with your kids and explain that having relations with animals is wrong and super-gross. Explain that there is nothing wrong with your son bringing his boyfriend Coco home for dinner to meet you...as long as Coco isn't a gorilla. If you can't convey this, it's not Skittles' fault. Because you suck at being a parent.
CREATIVITY: A+
The ad got everyone talking about Skittles' new product right? The video went viral and news outlets covered it. So, mission accomplished. Skittles ads are compelling in a strange off-tilt Napoleon Dynamite type of way. This ad is so absurd (two roommates are both dating non-speaking walruses that look extremely similar) it's surprising it's become controversial. So if this ad is the tipping point that makes kids watching it want to get with animals, I'm pretty sure even a group of literally one million moms couldn't help them.
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