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“There’s a lot going on.”

That’s the first thought – minus expletives – that crossed our minds on seeing the new campaign for “chewy fruit sweets” Skittles from Impact BBDO, Dubai. Particularly the 10-second TVCs, where a variety of crushed fruit pieces quickly arrange themselves – in animation reminiscent of the video for Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” – into, say, a Formula 1 car or a mobile phone over a drum-heavy electro soundtrack finished off by the whispered tagline – before whizzing off and turning into Skittles. They don’t just turn into the car, either: There also appear to be bats flapping on top of the wheels, a couple of disturbingly masculine cheerleaders doing a hula at the base of the car and any number of tiny gyrating figures elsewhere. We identified these elements only on the fourth or fifth viewing.

“Eyes. Hurt. Now,” was our second thought.

The print ads – which display various shapes made by the fruit pieces: the car, mobile and a Playstation controller – are pretty busy too. “They look like monsters,” one observer noted. And it’s true that you may struggle to work out what they are meant to represent unless you’re told, although the mobile phone one is fairly obvious.

That being said, these ads are, presumably, not meant for us. They’re meant for kids. The average 10-year-old will likely be able to identify all their features on the first viewing and will probably love them. So when they next need an E-number fix or sugar rush, Skittles will be the stuff they whinge and whinge and whinge at their moms to buy. Because to kids, these ads say, “Look at this! And this! And this! Listen it’s LOUD. Now listen, it’s quiet. Pay attention! What’s the fruit turned into? Something you like, that’s what. And now that something you like has turned into Skittles. You like Skittles. You need Skittles.” Hopefully, the average grown-up isn’t quite that easy to con. [Wanders off to buy something advertised by good-looking celeb.]

Even for adults, though, these ads are visually arresting and more interesting than most candy campaigns. At least you don’t have some angelic-looking brother and sister doing a cutesy routine which cracks their creepy parents up so much they get rewarded with a [brand name here] bar. Which may make parents who don’t like being thought of as lowest-common-denominator morons better disposed to Skittles.

And it doesn’t hurt that the images aren’t instantly identifiable – it keeps your attention that little bit longer and the brand name in your mind. With ads more engaging than a simple, boring product shot and a simple, boring model, the campaign helps Skittles stand out from the confectionery crowd.

You might question whether kids in the Middle East are all that interested in Formula 1 racing. But mobile phones and Playstations are definite favorites. You might also question whether, with obesity being a major regional concern, chewy fruit sweets are really what marketers should be pushing to them.

Regardless, Skittles should be looking forward to enjoying the fruits of the agency’s labors in the Middle East market.

Client: Skittles
Creative Agency: Impact/BBDO, Dubai
Creative Director: Peter Russell
Art Director: Srinivasa Rao
Copywriter: Sony Raj
Illustrator: Sandeep Pradhan
Photographer: Srinivasa Rao
Designer: Binoy Mohan
Client Service: Ziad Zoueihed

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