Published By Cleartwo
22nd August 2024
2:27 PMElmwood London has teamed up with Mars Wrigley to deliver an energetic brand refresh for Skittles. The updated packaging features a fresh typographic twist, enhanced vibrancy in the signature rainbow, and a new layout that creates a flowing visual effect. The goal was to establish a stronger sense of continuity for Skittles globally, as the product is sold in 180 countries. Paul O’Brien, design director at Elmwood, explains that the new design language needed to allow the rainbow to “flex and have fun,” while maintaining the iconic Skittles identity worldwide.
The refreshed typography includes a notable tweak, such as the slight kick on the ‘K,’ paired with a deeper shadow on the logo, which amplifies its presence among the brand’s new and quirky—yet unmistakably Skittles—features. This approach achieves two key objectives: it unifies the brand across its various ranges, like ‘Squishy Cloudz’ or ‘Wild Berry,’ and it allows the bold, amplified elements, such as the more vibrant rainbow and the scattered, flying lentil-shaped sweets and slogans, to stand out across different packaging.
Amid all the updates, preserving Skittles’ distinctively lo-fi and quirky tone of voice was crucial, which Elmwood has captured in what it describes as a ‘nonsensical’ approach. Paul O’Brien explains, “It’s our way of dialling up the brand’s ability to tell a great story. Nonsensical elevates the distinctive appeal of the brand and allows it to be deployed in a way that’s super fun and inherently shareable. It’s a tool that can be reinvented repeatedly in relation to emerging cultural themes on pack, out of home, and in digital spaces.” This ‘nonsensical’ strategy enables Skittles to remain a nostalgic touchstone for those who grew up with the product while amplifying its presence for Gen Z audiences through its absurdist flair.
This refresh aligns Skittles with an aesthetic that revives the past in an eccentric way, making it perfect for playful reinterpretations. Taglines like “taste the rainbow, refresh the rainbow” and “is it a bird” nod to the idea that these lentil-shaped sweets are now whimsically landing—like meteorites—at iconic locations like Stonehenge and The Grand Canyon. This trend mirrors the recent Snapchat Less Social Media campaign, which emphasised fun and lightheartedness over anxiety-inducing social interactions by blending the app’s filter features with old-school, Facebook-style photo albums. The campaign’s absurdity stemmed from its chaotic visual mashup, yet it stayed true to Snapchat’s essence.
Skittles, too, stays true to its brand. But now, beyond just tasting the rainbow, there’s an invitation to ride the rainbow’s lentils through the sky. The brand refresh demonstrates the power of transcending traditional packaging to influence how Skittles’ aesthetics are perceived across various platforms. One refresh asset features a playful window error asking viewers if they wish to ‘escape common sense,’ with the option ‘yes plz.’ It’s engaging, fun, and subtly weaves the rainbow into a nostalgic yet contemporary aesthetic, showing how Skittles can adapt and resonate across different generations and cultural moments.
