Skittles faces backlash after partnering with GLAAD and putting ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’ on packaging
Skittles faces backlash after partnering with GLAAD and putting ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’ on packaging
- Skittles faces backlash after changing the designs for a GLAAD partnership
- The limited edition Pride Packs omitted the signature color wheel
- Some packages are white with an image and text such as ‘express urself’
Candy brand Skittles is facing backlash after partnering with GLAAD and changing some of its packaging to include “Black Trans Lives Matter” messages.
Images of the pack on social media sparked a flurry of criticism on Twitter today, with many comparing the “woke” marketing to that used by Dylan Mulvaney in ads for Bud Light.
It’s Skittles’ fourth year working with GLAAD (the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) to “support the LGBTQ+ community by empowering and celebrating their stories,” according to Skittles’ official website.
In a line of limited-edition Pride packs, the candy company ditched its staple color wheel and opted for a toned-down pack with an illustration.
Skittles faces backlash after changing the designs for a GLAAD partnership with the message ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’
The limited edition Pride Packs omitted the signature color wheel
In previous years, the packs were all gray to “represent the brand’s cemented efforts,” but last year the concept was changed to include work from five LGBTQ+ artists.
They were asked to create original designs that represented how they “see the rainbow” every day.
One example reads ‘express urself’, another reads ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’.
“Bruh, every time a company does this, it seems sincere if their only goal is to maximize shareholder profits,” claimed another.
“I didn’t feel like doing this skittle… goodbye,” added a disappointed customer.
“This stuff is no longer funny,” another person shared.
Some Twitter users compared the partnership to the Bud Light marketing disaster, in which Anheuser-Busch lost a whopping $390 million in US sales as a result of its partnership with Mulvaney.
Parent company blamed Bud Light’s ‘volume drop’ on Q2 sales decline – with numbers showing total US sales fell 10.5 percent from April to June compared to a year earlier .
The world’s largest brewer said on Thursday that sales to US retailers were down 14 percent, adding that it was “underperforming the industry.”
“More Bud Light moments… Will it ever end…?” one person suggested on Twitter, referring to Skittles packaging.
“So giving them the Bud Light treatment,” said another.
While consumers can still find the standard Skittle packs in stores, the Pride Pack Series is available at select retailers.
In a statement released at the time of last year’s Pride Pack announcement, Skittles senior executive Justin Hollyn-Taub said the brand is committed to the LGBTQ+ community.
Images of the pack on social media sparked a flurry of criticism on Twitter today, with many comparing the “woke” marketing to that used by Dylan Mulvaney in ads for Bud Light
“While Pride Month is a time for reflection, self-education and celebration, we know that long-term support and affiliation is key in building a more inclusive and diverse society.”
One dollar will be donated, up to $100,000, to GLAAD’s anti-discrimination work and programs.
DailyMail.com has contacted Mars Inc. for comment.