Free the
Rainbow
from Sugar.
Launching Skittles Zero Sugar as a liberation, not a diet — because the sugar was never the star. The rainbow was.
“The assignment wasn't to make Skittles healthier. It was to make sugar-free less boring.”
Mars asked for a launch for Skittles Zero Sugar. The real challenge wasn't explaining the absence of sugar — it was proving that removing sugar doesn't remove the rainbow.
Not weird-free.
Not fun-free.
Not rainbow-free.
Sugar-free candy has a perception problem.
“People don't only worry that sugar-free has less sugar. They worry it has less candy.”
Sugar-free too often feels like candy with the fun taken out — a wellness product wearing a candy wrapper. For a brand built on maximal chaos, that's the whole problem.
“People want to have fun with sugar-free candy. The taste is what's holding them back — it feels like someone kicked the flavor out.”
Less sugar. Same little chaos.
Don't launch healthy candy. Launch Skittles breaking free from sugar.
Muted palette, wellness tone, better for you — everything Skittles isn't.
Frame zero sugar as a jailbreak. The rainbow isn't losing anything — it's being set loose.
Free the
Rainbow
from Sugar.
“We removed the sugar. The rainbow did not calm down.”
Sugar was never the star — the rainbow was. We remove the barrier and let the Skittles world stay loud: flavor, chew, color, weirdness, and a little chaos.
One idea, a whole launchable world.
"The Rainbow Did Not Calm Down"
Launch film where zero sugar makes Skittles go wilder, not calmer. TikTok cutdowns. OOH.
"Make it a portal, not a compromise"
Rainbow portal shelf takeover, zero sugar badge, sampling display.
"Sugar Got Kicked Out"
Sugar crystal characters evicted from Skittles universe. #SugarGotKickedOut creator duets.
"Scream the Rainbow"
Zero Sugar. Full Scream. Limited edition.
"The Sugar Gets Fired"
Sugar cube walked out of HR meeting inside the rainbow. Fans vote which sugar gets evicted next.
Sugar-free doesn't have to behave. Not when it's Skittles.
Solves the real barrier
Sugar-free sounds like compromise. We make it feel like liberation.
Protects brand equity
Rainbow, weirdness, and play stay louder than the functional claim.
Gives people proof
Sampling and taste games fight skepticism without boring anyone.
Creates a launchable world
Film, social, retail, packaging, and Super Bowl all ladder to one story.
The Campaign in Action.
Four executions. One idea. Sugar gets eliminated every time.
Zero sugar. No sympathy.
The rainbow is doing just fine.
Nothing to declare except chaos.
Zero sugar. Full party.
Free the Rainbow from Sugar. — Skittles Zero Sugar