Skittles ad for Pride Month
Overall interpretation
Skittles addresses the London Pride event with a humorous, self-deprecating letter, acknowledging the shared use of the rainbow symbol and promising to stay out of the way while celebrating the occasion.
Evidence and interpretation
What the ad visibly shows, and what each detail may mean.
Observation The letter explicitly states the brand's intention to 'give up our rainbow' and 'stay out of the way' so that Pride can be the 'centre of attention'. Interpretation The brand is positioning itself as a respectful ally that recognizes the cultural significance of the rainbow to the LGBTQ+ community, prioritizing their celebration over its own marketing. Concepts: social justice, brand positioning 1 further reading
Other readings connected to the same visible detail.
By adopting a self-deprecating and humble tone, the brand builds 'liking' and trust, avoiding the appearance of 'rainbow-washing' or co-opting the movement for profit.
Concepts used in this analysis
Ideas that connect this advertisement to broader patterns of meaning.
- Brand Positioning
- Contrast
Contrast creates meaning by putting differences next to each other. Light and dark, big and small, plain and ornate, or calm and busy can steer attention and make one element feel more important.
- Minimalism
- Self Deprecation
- Signifier
A signifier is something you can point to in the ad before deciding what it means: a face, object, word, color, type treatment, gesture, or spatial relationship. Calling something a signifier does not yet tell us what it signifies.
- Social Justice
- Trust
The ad can build a sense that the brand is dependable, so the viewer feels safer choosing it.
- Visual Metaphor
An ad uses visual metaphor when one thing stands in for another through resemblance, substitution, or a deliberate visual pairing. The image asks you to read beyond the literal scene.
About this interpretation
Interpretations are arguments, not facts. Signum keeps the visible evidence and the readings built from it inspectable so they can be challenged rather than treated as objective truth.