Dive Brief:
- To celebrate Canada Day on July 1, Skittles will pay tribute to one of Canada's iconic symbols, the beaver, by streaming an online video of a man dressed as a beaver building a dam in the wilderness, according to a news release.
- For each view of the video, Skittles has pledged to donate to the David Suzuki Foundation, a Canadian environmental organization that is fighting to protect the beaver and its natural habitats. The campaign is hoping to highlight how Canadians #GIVEaDAM about their environment and wildlife.
- The Mars candy brand is also debuting a special red and white mix inspired by Canada's flag. The new packs, which include watermelon, white grape, peach, strawberry and cherry candies, celebrate Canada's 151st birthday.
Dive Insight:
Skittles is leveraging humor to call attention to more serious environmental and ecological issues facing Canada and its beaver population. The campaign looks to be a parody of nature TV shows and could pick up momentum with consumers, as the brand will donate more to its cause and to the David Suzuki Foundation as more people view the stream.
Skittles supporting the push with the #GIVEaDAM hashtag could also help spark discussions on social media and draw more interest to the stream, which has its own website and countdown timer.
Livestreams have become a growing part of Skittles' marketing strategy as it looks to capture peoples' attention with bizarre or off-the-wall marketing stunts. For this year's Super Bowl, the brand created a 60-second spot that didn't actually air during the game. Instead, one teenage fan was selected to view the ad, while the public could livestream his reaction to it on the Skittles' Facebook page.
Consumers are typically responsive of cause-driven campaigns, especially younger age segments like Gen Z, who feel especially connected to important social issues. Global wildlife populations have declined by an average of 58% since 1970, according to statistics cited in the news release.
