We were tasked with writing splashy and surreal TV spots for Skittles, continuing the “Taste the Rainbow” campaign. It was a magical few days at work.

OFFICE CENTAUR

We open on an office. A centaur is dressed business casual (from the waist up), trotting between cubicles. Someone says to him, “Hey Dan, can you get me that expense report?” Dan smiles and says, “OF HORSE”, while pointing to his horse legs. Another coworker asks, “Dan, I broke the photocopier, can you fix it?” Again, Dan says, “OF HORSE”, pointing to his four legs and laughing at his little joke. Cut to Dan in his cubicle. A coworker walks in and, seeing a bowl of Skittles on Dan’s desk, takes a handful. “Thanks for bringing in Skittles, Dan,” he says. He begins to turn into a centaur, getting progressively more frantic. “Wait, Dan—am I turning…?” Sadly, Dan says, “Of course,” dejectedly pointing at his horse legs. Change the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow.

GENERAL STORE

We open on a grizzled shopkeeper in an old-timey general store. A man approaches him and says, “Shopkeep, how much for the Skittles in that there window?” The shopkeeper answers, “Five Skittles”. “But—but I don’t have any Skittles, that’s why I want ‘em.” “4 Skittles”. “But--!” the customer protests. A mysterious man behind him in line, dressed in a black trenchcoat, cowboy hat, and neckerchief stealithly hands him a handful of Skittles. The customer looks from the Skittles in his hand, back up to the face of the mysterious man, beaming with gratitude. The mysterious man turns into a crow and flies away. Give the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow.

 SPELLING BEE

Open on a student spelling bee.  A kid is on the stage. The announcer says, “Billy, spell phantasmagoria.” Billy shakily starts to spell out loud: “P-H-A”. Billy gets more nervous. “N-T-A…”. He starts to tremble. Skittles trickle down this leg and out the leg of his pants, pooling around his feet. A young boy from the audience shouts out and points: “Look everybody, Billy Skittled himself!” The audience begins to laugh. Billy looks terrified but continues to spell. “S—M” The audience rushes to the stage to eat the Skittles around Billy’s feet. Spell the rainbow, Taste the Rainbow.