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hmmmm... With all that free brand promotion for Skittles....if only Mars Inc was publicly traded... shucks
Skittles joins food brands at center of tragedy
Skittles latest food in controversy; 'Don't drink the Kool-Aid', 'the Twinkie defense'
By Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | Associated Press – 14 hours ago
FILE - In this March 26, 2012 file photo, Jajuan Kelley, of Atlanta, wears a Skittles wrapper over his mouth during a rally in memory of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old who was killed by a Florida neighborhood watch captain while returning from a convenience store with a bag of Skittles and an iced tea, in Atlanta. Skittles isn't the first popular food brand to find itself at the center of a major controversy. The terms “the Twinkie defense” and “don't drink the Kool-Aid” became part of the vernacular decades ago in the wake of tragic events. More recently, Doritos made headlines when it was reported that the corn chips were Saddam Hussein's favorite snack. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
NEW YORK (AP) -- It could've been Starbursts, Twizzlers or Sour Patch Kids. But when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, he happened to be carrying a bag of Skittles.
The 17-year-old's death at the hands of a neighborhood watchman in February ignited nationwide protests and heated debate about racial profiling and "Stand Your Ground" laws.
For Mars Inc., the privately held company that owns Skittles, the tragedy presents another, more surreal dimension. Protestors carried bags of the chewy fruit-flavored candy while marching for the arrest of shooter George Zimmerman. Mourners pinned the bright red wrappers to their hooded sweatshirts at memorial services.
On eBay, vendors sell $10 T-shirts with the words "Justice for Trayvon Martin" printed over a cartoon-like rainbow of pouring Skittles.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company —the unit of Mars that owns Skittles— issued only a brief statement offering condolences to Martin's friends and family, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment further "as we would never wish for our actions to be perceived as an attempt of commercial gain."
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Skittles joins food brands at center of tragedy
Skittles latest food in controversy; 'Don't drink the Kool-Aid', 'the Twinkie defense'
By Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | Associated Press – 14 hours ago
FILE - In this March 26, 2012 file photo, Jajuan Kelley, of Atlanta, wears a Skittles wrapper over his mouth during a rally in memory of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old who was killed by a Florida neighborhood watch captain while returning from a convenience store with a bag of Skittles and an iced tea, in Atlanta. Skittles isn't the first popular food brand to find itself at the center of a major controversy. The terms “the Twinkie defense” and “don't drink the Kool-Aid” became part of the vernacular decades ago in the wake of tragic events. More recently, Doritos made headlines when it was reported that the corn chips were Saddam Hussein's favorite snack. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
NEW YORK (AP) -- It could've been Starbursts, Twizzlers or Sour Patch Kids. But when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, he happened to be carrying a bag of Skittles.
The 17-year-old's death at the hands of a neighborhood watchman in February ignited nationwide protests and heated debate about racial profiling and "Stand Your Ground" laws.
For Mars Inc., the privately held company that owns Skittles, the tragedy presents another, more surreal dimension. Protestors carried bags of the chewy fruit-flavored candy while marching for the arrest of shooter George Zimmerman. Mourners pinned the bright red wrappers to their hooded sweatshirts at memorial services.
On eBay, vendors sell $10 T-shirts with the words "Justice for Trayvon Martin" printed over a cartoon-like rainbow of pouring Skittles.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company —the unit of Mars that owns Skittles— issued only a brief statement offering condolences to Martin's friends and family, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment further "as we would never wish for our actions to be perceived as an attempt of commercial gain."
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