Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Skittles of our lives

Mars' Skittles brand continues its foray into absurdism with a new spot from TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York, that portrays the evils of eating Skittles out of unlikely objects. Thinking it’s no big deal, the hungry snacker in this ad disregards his friend’s warning and steals some Skittles candy from his giant hourglass. Seems harmless enough, right? Except this seems to have a reverse Benjamin Button effect, making the teen age rapidly. “I mean, look at me, man. You’re speeding up time. How many did you eat?” he says, while pieces of hair fall from his hat. “Like two?” his friend replies, bewildered. Within seconds, the teenager with the jeans and hoodie jacket transforms into an old, frustrated senior citizen. Lesson No. 2: Life is too short. “Taste the rainbow.” (Or else others will.)

—Posted by Elaine Wong