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Candy brand Skittles is facing massive online backlash for collaborating with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and changing some of its packaging to incorporate 'Black Trans Lives Matter' content. The new packaging design deviates from Skittles' trademark color wheel and offers white packets with images and words like "express urself."
People are comparing the brand to Anheuser Busch's Bud Light, which recently came under fire for its association with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. They were widely condemned and lost a significant number of customers as a result.
Social media users were outraged by the entire incident. Netizens rushed to the comment area of Libs of TikTok's post, which has already gained 1.3M views and over 12k likes on X (formerly Twitter). Some turned to a post uploaded by End Wokeness on X, which had already gained 1.7M views and 10K likes, to voice their anger and disgust over the entire situation.
"No more Skittles for me": The candy brand's limited edition Pride packs garner strong criticism
Skittles, the colorful candy brand, has put itself in hot water after partnering with GLAAD to show its support for the LGBTQIA++ community. New images of the brand's packaging sparked outrage on X, with many connecting the "woke" marketing to Dylan Mulvaney-Bud Light advertisements.
The confectionery business has dropped its standard packaging for a batch of limited edition and colorful Pride Packs in favor of the pride community.
In response to the redesigned packaging, Melissa Harris, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at GLAAD, stated:
"The ongoing support and partnership we receive from SKITTLES helps us advance our critical mission to further dialogue that leads to cultural change. SKITTLES' mission this year to spotlight LGBTQ+ stories is a profound initiative that can maximize awareness, support and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community while advancing diversity and inclusion."
According to the company's official website, the candy company has partnered with GLAAD for the fourth year to support the LGBTQ+ community by amplifying and celebrating their stories. Some people, however, have expressed their displeasure, stating that Skittles is supporting a specific agenda and using the LGBTQ+ community for business objectives.
Some netizens compared the partnership to Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light marketing disaster, in which the company lost over $350 million in US sales due to its collaboration with Mulvaney. The entire incident garnered strong criticism and backlash from netizens. Here are some of the reactions:
Skittles is not the only one to face backlash for its “wokeness”
It is worth mentioning that Skittles is not the first brand to suffer backlash for their alleged "wokeness." Many businesses have faced similar backlash when attempting to do the same.
Recently, Bud Light came under fire after it joined hands with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney. The uproar began on April 2, 2023, when the 26-year-old personality took to Instagram to share a video of customized beer cans supplied by Bud Light to commemorate their 365 days of womanhood.
Walt Disney Parks were empty this year for the first time in many years. Most internet users believe that the franchise's sudden "wokeness" is to be blamed for the reduction in attendance. It has recently made several changes to its theme parks and the films on its streaming platform. This was reportedly done to eliminate previously displayed stereotypes against the LGBTQ+ community.
In another instance, Target revealed its queer-themed capsule collection in the first half of May ahead of Pride Month 2023. The company's decision attracted controversy on social media concerning the queer-themed collection, which is a collaboration between LGBTQ+ artists and queer-owned businesses.
