Skittles Giants packaging supersizes sweets
Chocolate, chewing gum and fruity confections manufacturer Mars Wrigley worked with brand agency Straight Forward Design to introduce Skittles’ giant sub-brand across the UK.
Skittle Giants, a larger, softer-centred version of the original fruit candies, was introduced to give new consumers and loyal followers something different to chew on while ensuring excitement around the iconic brand. Straight Forward Design had to strike the right balance between differentiating the giants from the core brand and celebrating the new product.
To do so, Straight Forward Design retained the familiar Skittles rainbow colour palette but centred the new packaging around the larger-scale candies, using the new ‘3 x Bigger!’ strapline and adding a ‘softer inside’ line.
“Working within the existing Skittles brand architecture and colour palettes and hitting a sweet spot between the new and familiar are the keys to success. We know that consumers only scan supermarket shelves for a few short seconds, so it’s crucial that they’re able to find the product easily, understand immediately that it’s part of a core brand they already know and love, and then be given new reasons to connect,” says Mike Foster, founder and creative director of Straight Forward design.
Part of the launch strategy was to engage social influencers to further promote the new sub brand. Straight Forward Design created an influencer pack, a branded box which includes an introductory card and a series of Skittles-centric props to highlight the new big dimensions of the giants versus the original-sized product.
“Skittles Giants is a fun and whimsical product – people seem to be drawn to bigger and smaller versions of the things with which they’re already familiar – so it’s perfect for showcasing across social media and a great way to generate fresh interest and re-engage with existing fans,” Foster says.
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