This story was updated at 3:34 p.m. Dec. 12, 2012
Wrigley Canada has given Canadians many chances to touch and taste the rainbow with its Skittles marketing, but this holiday season it’s gifting them with the opportunity to create it.
Developed by BBDO‘s Toronto office, the colourful candy brand has launched an equally colourful Christmas-themed website, CreateTheRainbow.com, that lets users make their own wacky Skittles ad.
Users can set the scene by pairing offbeat characters in one of three settings and having them interact around one of five “Skittles miracles,” such as a hot tub full of skittles or a statue crying Skittles tears. Users can also choose from a selection of different phrases and “states of being” – like happy, crying or confused – to create the dialogue between the characters, with the option of adding in a soundtrack. Finally, they can personalize the ad with their name, which is displayed at its conclusion: “Your name the rainbow. Taste the rainbow. ”
With heaps of holiday ad clutter, a mandate to break through and a core following of young fans that look forward to the next Skittles commercial, the confectionery brand saw an opportunity to deliver something unexpected, says Carlos Moreno, senior vice-president and executive creative director at BBDO.
“Skittles fans are creative, unique people and so we’ve given them the tools to be part of the brand in a way that most people never get the chance to,” says Moreno. “Young people are early adopters of digital, so it’s critical to build your brand’s presence online.
“For them, discovery is everything and being the first to discover something has become a kind of social currency that they can share with others. Skittles is all about creating branded content that becomes a sought after currency and sparks a surge of sharing that lets others in on the brand experience.”
The site launched during the first week of December and will remain in market for only four weeks given the seasonality of the content. In the meantime, to spread the word about its DIY holiday tidings, Wrigley has been promoting “Create the Rainbow” through SEM, blogs, Facebook and Twitter. And, in the true spirit of the holidays, it’s relying on people’s propensity to share in order to help spread the word.
