Two grown men agree to an offbeat swap in this :45 titled “Trade” for Skittles out of TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York. Standing in a backyard drenched in sunlight, the guys aren’t alone–the other party being a bunny rabbit who sings in a style that’s somewhere between operatic and yodeling.
One of the guys gives up his supposedly beloved hare for a bag of Skittles. At first blush, it would seem that the gent who winds up with the rabbit has pulled off a steal–a novelty act that could get signed by the William Morris Agency. Ah, but the best laid plans of mice–or make that bunnies–and men….
That night, we see the guy seated on his bed at home. It’s pouring outside. But through rain or shine, the rabbit, who’s also in the bedroom, won’t stop singing. The more you hear the hare’s incessant vocalizing, the more annoying it becomes, even seemingly drowning out the sound of thunder. Clearly, this guy is being driven crazy.
Out of desperation, he runs out into the storm, making his way down the road toward the home of the rabbit’s original owner. Holding the bunny, the rain-soaked guy peers through the window of the house to see his “friend” inside sitting in a chair, relaxing and eating Skittles.
At that moment, the man with the rabbit realizes what a terrible trade he has made. To add insult to injury–or injury to insult–the bunny then bites the man’s arm and runs away. A parting product shot of a bag of Skittles is accompanied by a slogan which reads–and is said in a voiceover–“Treasure the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow.”
“Trade” was directed by Tom Kuntz of bicoastal/international MJZ. The DP was Joaquin Baca-Asay.
The agency creative team consisted of executive creative director Gerry Graf, group creative director/art director Scott Vitrone, group creative director/copywriter Ian Reichenthal, and senior producer Lora Schulson.
The spot was edited by Gavin Culter of Mackenzie Cutler, New York. Visual effects were done by Asylum, Los Angeles, with an ensemble that included executive producer Gabby Gourrier, lead compositor Mark Renton, CG supervisor Sean Faden and CG producer Jeff Werner.
