Candy brand Skittles is embracing the rainbow inside each bag with a month-long promotion to elevate LGBTQ+ stories. Skittles is teaming up with comedian and podcast host Cameron Esposito, whose Earwolf series Queery focuses on stories of identity, personality and the shifting cultural matrix around gender, sexuality and civil rights. Buyers of five specially-designed pride packs of Skittles that scan a QR code will be directed to a collection of LGBTQ+ stories on Audible, as well as special edition Pride episodes of Esposito's Queery podcast. The episodes – which roll out starting in early June – will highlight the individual stories of the artists who designed the 2023 Skittles Pride Packs, and other LGBTQ+ storytellers. Fans can also submit their own stories of Pride for a chance to be featured in a podcast episode.
"We're on a mission to ignite the world's imagination by bringing stories, ideas and characters to life," said James Finn, Head of Global Brand and Content Marketing at Audible. "Teaming up with Skittles for Pride 2023 epitomizes our focus and passion to elevate LGBTQIA+ voices that deserve to be heard."
The Skittles Pride collection was curated by multiple teams at Audible including Editorial, Marketing, and Content in collaboration with GLAAD. Categories of programming include Queer Fiction; Real People, Real Voices; and Audible Theater Originals. Audible's June "5 Listens" was curated by the five LGBTQ+ artists who designed this year's Skittes Pride packs: Zipeng Zhu, Symone Salib, Mady G, Bianca Xunise, and Shanée Benjamin.
Making the campaign even more poignant is it comes as other brands, including Bud Light, Target, and North Face, among others, have come under fire for their support of LGBTQ causes in recent weeks. Skittles says it will donate up to $100,000 to GLAAD from the sales of its special pride packages.
"The Skittles brand is proud to continue our four-year partnership with GLAAD and introduce new collaborations this year with Audible and Cameron Esposito, to help uplift and provide visibility to the LGBTQ+ community," said Gabrielle Wesley, Chief Marketing Officer at Mars Wrigley North America. "The Skittles brand is honored to have the opportunity to help amplify voices from the LGBTQ+ community through the power of storytelling, which will help to increase support, generate inclusion, and build community."
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