“Don’t be fooled by the talk in the ad industry: it is as deeply conservative as accounting.” –Brian Morrissey
Apparently, people in some far off land where gravity is not king, are upset about the new Skittles Web site. I’ll be honest, I haven’t read any of the source material. I made some comments on Twitter about how the site is a direct lift from Modernista!, and left it at that. Shawn also took note of the site on AdPulp the other day.
Now, Morrissey is saying we’re all as stiff as an accountant in March?
Skittlesgate reveals the underbelly of the advertising industry. It revels in failures, real and imagined. (I don’t think you can plausibly say Skittles.com has failed.) It loves nothing more than tearing others apart. This is not just a traditional advertising phenomenon. That would be amusing if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s corrosive to innovation. The way forward in reaching consumers in innovative, effective ways through digital media is trial and error. Is Skittles.com perfect? Far from it. Is it an attempt to do something very different? Yes, it is.
Skittlesgate? This is sounding like a joke, and I respect Morrissey’s work.
One thing Skittles did not fail to do is create buzz around the brand. I’d like to see receipts from the nation’s movie theaters and the convenience stores this weekend to determine how well this is playing among actual candy consumers–candy consumers who clearly have never heard of Modernista! or Agency.com.
