Skittles is puckering more than smackable lips this summer as it reprises a limited edition Pride Month campaign from 2020 meant to honor the LGBT community.
Ahead of the June Pride Month, Americans can expect to see boring grayscale packaging for the iconic rainbow-colored confections to appear at Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Albertson’s-owned markets—among other smaller retailers.
Last year, the packaging read “Only one rainbow matters during Pride.”
“Skittles is passionate about advocating for the LGBT community, which is why we have chosen to bring back Skittles Pride Packs as a symbol of our cemented efforts and support for the community,” Mars Wrigley said in a statement to GoPride.com.
“Through the return of SKITTLES Pride packs, we emphasize our commitment to not only being a great place to work, where all Associates can feel seen and accepted, but also our commitment to people in our communities by continuing to shape a world that is connected, caring and celebratory,” Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Long said.
Available in two sizes—4 ounces and 15.6 ounces—$1 from each pack purchased will be donated to LGBT advocacy group GLAAD.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with GLAAD to support the important work they do year-round,” Long continued.
GLAAD sought the partnership.
“Visibility from beloved brands like Skittles has a powerful and unique opportunity to reach parents and young Americans with calls to stand with LGBT people during Pride month and beyond,” GLAAD Senior Director John McCourt said.
“The proceeds will help to support GLAAD’s culture-changing work and programs, including our ongoing efforts to work through media to combat anti-LGBT discrimination.”
While some see a bright and satisfyingly tart smack at homophobic and transphobic foes—colorless Skittles that debut in Europe gave some LGBT advocates an unsettling sour face.
In a previous rendition of the campaign, Mars Wrigley advertised white-only Skittles on packaging meant to leave a message of a tasteless world without diversity.
People were concerned that it would rather be used in the opposite way—an opportunity for racist white supremacists to symbolize their cause by hijacking Mars Wrigley’s original intentions.
Mars Wrigley made a change—using grayscale rather than pure white imagery. And they decided to forge ahead.
“Taste the Rainbow,” Mars Wrigley has long whetted tastebuds for the bite-sized chewy confection with its hard-candy-coated shell since 1974.
