The Real Story Behind the "Taste the Rainbow" Campaign

It’s one of the most recognizable slogans in advertising history. For decades, “Taste the Rainbow” has been synonymous with the colorful, fruity candy Skittles. But how did this iconic campaign begin, and what made it so enduring? Let’s dive into the nostalgic history of this legendary ad campaign and its lasting impact.

The Birth of a Legendary Slogan

Before Skittles invited us to “Taste the Rainbow,” the candy advertising world was a very different place. Most ads focused simply on flavor, fun, or featured cartoon mascots. In 1994, the advertising agency D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles was tasked with creating a new identity for Skittles. They landed on a five-word slogan that would change everything: “Taste the Rainbow.”

The genius of the line was its simplicity and its direct connection to the product’s core feature, its vibrant colors. It wasn’t just about tasting fruit flavors; it was about experiencing the entire spectrum of color. The initial commercials were imaginative and whimsical, often set in fantastical worlds where the colors of Skittles had magical properties.

One of the most memorable early ads featured a young boy who wakes up with “Skittles Pox,” red and purple dots all over his face that his friends happily ate. This set the tone for the slightly strange, offbeat humor that would become the brand’s signature. The campaign immediately stood out by creating a unique world governed by its own surreal logic, a stark contrast to the straightforward ads of competitors.

The Evolution into Surreal Comedy

While the 90s established the slogan, the 2000s cemented its iconic status. Under the creative direction of the agency TBWA\Chiat\Day, the campaign took a sharp turn into the bizarre and wonderfully weird. The ads became less about fantasy worlds and more about how the magic of Skittles strangely interacts with the real world. This era produced some of the most talked-about commercials of the decade.

Here are a few unforgettable examples of this surrealist approach:

• The Skittles Touch: This famous ad featured a man named Tim who has a strange condition. Everything he touches turns into Skittles. While on the phone, he absentmindedly touches his desk, his pen, and his stapler, all of which transform into the candy. The ad ends with him shaking his coworker’s hand, leading to a hilariously awkward and unfortunate outcome for the coworker.
• The Singing Rabbit: In another spot, a man is milking a giraffe into a bucket of Skittles. A rabbit sitting nearby begins singing a high-pitched, opera-like song. The ad had no clear narrative, but it was impossible to forget.
• The Beard: A man is shown with an incredibly long, animated beard that interacts with his office environment, picking up a phone and doing other tasks. His coworker compliments the beard, and the man responds, “Thanks, I’ve been feeding it Skittles.” The ad ends with the coworker stroking the beard, which then grabs him.

This strategy was brilliant. The ads were so strange that they became cultural events, shared and discussed long before social media made “going viral” a marketing goal. The campaign proved that you didn’t need a linear story to be memorable. By embracing absurdity, Skittles carved out an identity that was entirely its own: unpredictable, funny, and always colorful.

Why the Campaign Had Such a Lasting Impact

The “Taste the Rainbow” campaign’s success wasn’t an accident. It was the result of a consistent and daring brand strategy that resonated with audiences for several key reasons.

First, it created a distinct brand personality. Skittles wasn’t just a candy; it was a portal to a weird and wonderful world. This personality set it apart from competitors like M&M’s, which focused on its talking candy characters, or Starburst, which focused on its juicy flavor.

Second, the campaign was incredibly consistent. For over 25 years, the core idea of “Taste the Rainbow” has remained, even as the creative execution has evolved. This long-term consistency built powerful brand recognition.

Finally, the campaign was brave. It wasn’t afraid to be weird, and that risk paid off. The ads were entertaining in their own right, making people want to watch them rather than skip them. This approach built a loyal following and kept the brand relevant across different generations.

Other Iconic Campaigns That Changed the Game

To understand the impact of “Taste the Rainbow,” it helps to see it in the context of other groundbreaking advertising campaigns. Here are a few others that, like Skittles, left a permanent mark on popular culture.

Apple: “1984”

Aired only once during the 1984 Super Bowl, this ad for the Apple Macintosh is considered a masterpiece. Directed by Ridley Scott, it depicted a dystopian, Orwellian future being shattered by a colorful, rebellious woman. The ad positioned Apple not just as a computer company, but as a force for individuality and innovation against a conformist status quo.

Wendy’s: “Where’s the Beef?”

This simple, three-word question became a national catchphrase in 1984. The campaign featured three elderly women examining a competitor’s hamburger with a massive bun and a tiny patty. One of them, Clara Peller, repeatedly asks, “Where’s the beef?” The phrase perfectly captured the idea of wanting substance over style and entered the political and social lexicon.

Coca-Cola: “Hilltop”

First aired in 1971, this ad featured a diverse group of young people on a hilltop in Italy, singing “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke.” It was a powerful message of unity and hope during a time of social unrest. The ad transformed Coca-Cola from a simple beverage into a symbol of global harmony and happiness.

These campaigns, much like “Taste the Rainbow,” succeeded because they did more than just sell a product. They sold an idea, created a feeling, and became a part of our shared cultural memory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created the “Taste the Rainbow” slogan? The slogan was created in 1994 by the New York-based advertising agency D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles.

What was the first “Taste the Rainbow” commercial? While it’s difficult to pinpoint the very first one, the early commercials in the mid-1990s focused on fantastical scenarios, such as a rainbow literally dropping Skittles for people to catch. The “Skittles Pox” ad is one of the most well-remembered from this initial era.

Is the campaign still running today? Yes, the “Taste the Rainbow” slogan is still central to Skittles’ marketing. While the style of the ads continues to evolve to fit modern trends, the core message and the brand’s signature quirky humor remain.