Skittles are one of the most popular candies in the country, distributed by Wrigley and offering a chewy texture with a varied fruity taste. While the candy has been produced and sold since the mid-1970s, Skittles has seen recent surges in popularity due to its relatively new approach to marketing and advertising.
Skittles, as a brand, targets children, teenagers, and young adults more than any other demographic. In order to capture the interest of this audience, Skittles has taken a very surreal, eccentric approach in its brand voice, distributing messages in edgy commercials and social media platforms. The strategy has paid off, with Skittles now being one of the most “liked” brands on Facebook—so let’s look at how they did it.
Ethos (Authority)
Skittles pays almost no attention to presenting their authority as a confectionary brand. Why should they? Most potential Skittles fans are already familiar with the brand, and their mastery over the chewy fruit candy industry is typically not debated.
Pathos (Emotion)
Instead, Skittles creates a dynamic emotional connection with its user base, manifested in several layers. First, Skittles uses strange, almost otherworldly language to establish themselves as unconventional trendsetters. Examples of this eccentric and esoteric language can be found in everything from its Tweets to its television advertising. Second, Skittles uses a wide variety of characters and one-off voices to establish its brand as knowledgeable, fun, and artistic. It provides a meaningful and entertaining connection for its primary audience, American youth.
Logos (Logic)
Much like its Ethos, Skittles largely neglects its logical appeal. Occasionally, Skittles will post something implying that Skittles is the best candy in the world, but this has more to do with their pseudo-arrogant Pathos than a truly logical argument.
While new fads will probably come and go, Skittles’s random, energetic attention and articulate, lofty brand rhetoric will no doubt continue to succeed. If your audience includes young people, take note.
