Skittles, the candy known for its “Taste the Rainbow” slogan, is facing threats to receive the “Bud Light treatment” for marketing campaigns promoting LGBT pride.
The Skittles 2023 “Pride Pack” promotion features colorful designs by five LGBT artists over a gray background.
The gray is a callback to the candy’s first pride promotion in 2020. Skittles’ parent company, Mars Inc., announced in May 2020 that during the month of June, which is also recognized as Pride Month, Skittles would be sold in gray packages because “during Pride, only #OneRainbow matters.”
The traditionally colorful candies inside were also gray.
Conservatives who oppose the marketing strategy say it’s because the company is targeting children.
The Skittles campaigns recently came under fire as other major brands and companies, including Bud Light and Target, have been the subject of boycotts over similar campaigns promoting LGBT ideology.
Conservative talk show host Joe Pagliarulo congratulated Skittles on social media on Aug. 14, saying, “You just guaranteed the vast majority of people will NEVER buy your product again. Nobody wants gender identity nor sexual orientation preached by a candy,” he asserted. “You’re freaking candy!!! Dumb move.”
Dr. Robert Malone also called out Mars online for its marketing campaign “aimed at children.”
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton agreed, saying the promotion “targets children with transgender extremist sex propaganda” and “puts ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’ on its packaging!”
Chaya Raichik, the woman who runs Libs of TikTok, said “@Skittles is trying to turn your kids into BLM & LGBTQ+ activists,” adding that “Skittles have gone completely woke.”
In response, Robby Starbuck, a former Republican congressional candidate from Tennessee, said on social media that “We should transition Skittles to broke.”
Others suggested that all Mars products should be on the chopping block.
LGBT Response
On Aug. 14, Daniel Villarreal of LGBTQ Nation criticized “right-wingers”—who have already waged successful and financially painful boycotts against Bud Light and Target—for adding Skittles to the boycott list.
