Skittles: Tim
Skittles aimed to maintain its distinct, irreverent brand image and cultural relevance among young adults. The client sought a creative campaign that would generate buzz by showcasing the brand's unique, absurd humor in an unexpected way.
Creative Idea
A magical power to turn things into Skittles was revealed as a tragic curse.
Skittles brilliantly subverted the idea of a magical power by showing how turning everything into Skittles would be a devastating curse, creating dark humor that reinforced the brand's quirky, unexpected identity.
The Tragic Curse of the Skittles Midas
A Masterclass in Deadpan Absurdity
Directed by Tom Kuntz of MJZ - who would later helm the legendary Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" - the spot features a hauntingly stoic performance by David Jean Thomas. The script, penned by Eric Kallman and Craig Allen at TBWA\Chiat\Day, intentionally subverted candy marketing tropes by framing the product as a source of existential dread. Art Director Craig Allen noted that the team leaned into a "slightly sad" tone, believing that the more creative and risk-taking a brand appeared, the more audiences would respond.
Structural Failures and Police Standoffs
The production was plagued by physical and legal hurdles. The crew constructed a desk made entirely of thousands of individual Skittles, but the sheer weight of the candy caused the glass joints to crack and the structure to collapse. The final take was filmed while the adhesive was still wet. Furthermore, the shoot ran so far over schedule that local police arrived to shut down the set. Kuntz reportedly had to use his "smooth" personality to negotiate for the final few minutes of filming.
From Viral Sensation to Sales Surge
The ad became Creativity Online’s Most Watched Spot of 2007 and served as a pioneer of the early YouTube era, racking up millions of views when digital virality was still a new frontier. While the dark humor - including the implication that Tim accidentally "killed" a man on a bus - sparked industry debate, the results were undeniable. The "Taste the Rainbow" platform, anchored by this spot, helped Skittles' annual revenue more than double, eventually surpassing $200 million. The campaign's legacy continued in 2011 with the "Touch the Rainbow" interactive sequel, which utilized a low-tech "finger on the screen" mechanic.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Skittles credibly delivered absurd, irreverent humor, leveraging its established brand identity for unexpected narratives.
Category
Candy advertising typically focused on pure joy or taste, avoiding any negative or inconvenient implications.
Customer
The audience desired entertaining, shareable content that offered a clever, unexpected twist on common tropes.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for dark humor and subverting conventional tropes made the campaign's ironic premise resonate.
Company
Skittles credibly delivered absurd, irreverent humor, leveraging its established brand identity for unexpected narratives.
Category
Candy advertising typically focused on pure joy or taste, avoiding any negative or inconvenient implications.
Strategy:
Leverage product characteristics to create humorous tension between desire and inconvenient reality.
Customer
The audience desired entertaining, shareable content that offered a clever, unexpected twist on common tropes.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for dark humor and subverting conventional tropes made the campaign's ironic premise resonate.
Strategy:
Leverage product characteristics to create humorous tension between desire and inconvenient reality.
Strategy Technique
Create a Tension Between Product & World
The campaign created tension by showing how the product's "magic" disrupts everyday life. This highlighted the absurdity and distinctiveness of the Skittles brand.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Reverse Expectations
The campaign reversed expectations by presenting a seemingly desirable superpower as a tragic curse. This unexpected twist generated dark humor, making the brand memorable and distinct.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's exceptional craft lies in its ability to deliver dark, absurd humor through masterful acting and seamlessly integrated visual effects, all underpinned by sharp, concise copywriting.
The lead actor's deadpan delivery of increasingly bizarre and dark lines is crucial to the ad's unique comedic tone and effectively sells the absurd premise.
The dialogue is concise, impactful, and masterfully crafted to create both humor and an underlying sense of unease, particularly through the main character's philosophical questions and grim anecdote.
The visual effects of objects transforming instantly into Skittles are well-executed and seamless, making the magical realism believable and central to the ad's core concept.
The straightforward, realistic cinematography and camera work grounds the fantastical elements in a mundane setting, enhancing the absurd humor and making the Skittles' appearance more jarring and effective.
