NBC: Skittles Now 'A Symbol of Racial Injustice'

By Kyle Drennen | March 30, 2012 | 16:10

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Filling in for Matt Lauer on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Hoda Kotb made a bizarre proclamation about race relations in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting: "Skittles obviously has become really kind of a symbol in the whole Trayvon Martin case. A symbol of racial injustice. You see people holding up the bags of Skittles in their hands and it clearly means something." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

Kotb made the comment to advertising executive Donny Deutsch during a segment about how the candy maker should deal with new attention to the brand caused by the fact that Martin happened to have a bag of Skittles on him when he was shot. Surprisingly, Deutsch was actually the voice of reason in the exchange: "If you're Skittles point of view, you put your head down and you wait for it to go away."

Kotb pushed back on Deutsch's advice, as she wondered: "...let's pretend a story comes up tomorrow that says Skittles profits have gone up 10% because of this Trayvon Martin case. In that case, what should Skittles do?" Deutsch insisted: "Exactly the same thing. Put your head down, let it pass." Kotb pressed: "But does it look like you're sort of banking on this kind of thing? And should you take that 10% and say, 'We're going to give all the profits we got to this cause'?"

Kotb seemed to be channeling left-wing MSNBC contributor Toure, who in a rambling Twitter exchange on Thursday argued that Skittles was "profiting from what's essentially blood money."

Toure cited a Wednesday New York Times article that started the absurd meme, entitled: "For Skittles, Death Brings Both Profit and Risk."

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Here is a full transcript of Kotb's March 30 exchange with Deutsch:

8:44AM ET

HODA KOTB: Back now at 8:44 with Behind the Brand with our friend Donny Deutsch. Which ads and promotional campaigns are making the grade? And which ones could use some improvement?...

Alright, next up, let's talk Skittles. Skittles obviously has become really kind of a symbol in the whole Trayvon Martin case. A symbol of racial injustice. You see people holding up the bags of Skittles in their hands and it clearly means something. Now let's take it from Skittles' point of view. How do you look at this? How do you see it?

DONNY DEUTSCH: If you're Skittles point of view, you put your head down and you wait for it to go away. The worst thing that they could do is some people go, "Oh, they should get involved and donate to charity and become..." – you don't want to do it for two reasons. Number one, you keep getting associated with this horrific incident. Number two, you could look exploitive. This happens to brands, but I promise you they will do nothing. Just let Mr. Skittles – let it pass.

KOTB: Let me ask you this, let's pretend a story comes up tomorrow that says Skittles profits have gone up 10% because of this Trayvon Martin case. In that case, what should Skittles do?

DEUTSCH: Exactly the same thing. Put your head down, let it pass. Because you don't want good attention – what does that say? That all – what are you going to do with that, start marketing to potential killers? What are you going to do? I mean, it's just – there's nothing to do with it.

KOTB: But does it look like you're sort of banking on this kind of thing? And should you take that 10% and say, "We're going to give all the profits we got to this cause"?

DEUTSCH: You know, that – even then, I think that looks exploitive. Look, that's going to pass.

KOTB: Okay.

DEUTSCH: What I'm saying, in a situation like this, when you're a brand and there's something so terrible like this that gets associated with you, you don't touch it, you wait for it to pass.

KOTB: Got it. Grade them, what do you give them?

DEUTSCH: I – you know, as far as what they've done so far, I've got to give them a "B+."

KOTB: Okay.

DEUTSCH: Because we'll see what happens, but yeah.

(...)

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Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

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Comments

Really? Should they shut down

Submitted by Russian55 on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:17pm.

The makers of Skittles are merely selling their product. What do these people suggest? Stop making it? Unemploy everyone associated with the product?

These people need a reality check!

---

Those who beat their swords into plowshares will end up plowing for those who kept their swords in the first place!

Excuse me...

Submitted by TC Lynch on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 6:09pm.

But do we even know, as a fact, that he HAD the bag of Skittles and an ice tea? That came from his family and/or their lawyers, as I recall.

"There's no point in being Irish if you don’t know the world is going to break your heart eventually.’’ Daniel Patrick Moynihan

With these morons

Submitted by KornKing on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:18pm.

You can't make this shit up

All the different colors in

Submitted by Henry Clay on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:19pm.

All the different colors in the bag; the slogan: “Taste the Rainbow”. I always thought of Skittles as a symbol for diversity.

Except, of course, there are

Submitted by NC Cop on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:21pm.

Except, of course, there are no black Skittles so you obviously meant to omit black people in your analogy.

Clearly you're a racist.

Black would be licorice and

Submitted by Henry Clay on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:27pm.

Black would be licorice and white would be coconut. Both are acquired tastes.

But there ARE NO black or

Submitted by NC Cop on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:30pm.

But there ARE NO black or white Skittles.

So you're a DOUBLE racist!!!!!

Ol' Hank Mud, ---

Submitted by matthewdean on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 5:47pm.

Ziiiiiinged again.

"The credibility of the story is undermined by the selection of sources." - (h/t Jer)

Nice try

Submitted by Unsane on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 8:21pm.

That's because you are a guilt-ridden Leftist. Me, I always thought of them as good candy.

'Til now.

Sorry, people, the Skittles of 2012 are simply not the same as the keys in Prague in 1989.

"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)

~Liberals

Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 6:26pm.

All the different colors in
Submitted by Henry Clay on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:19pm.
All the different colors in the bag; the slogan: “Taste the Rainbow”. I always thought of Skittles as a symbol for diversity.

God, tradition, history, 10,000 years of man+woman marriage, all worthless, but they find philosophical meaning in a bag of candy.

Obama's WTF 2012 campaign slogan: "A dog in every pot"

Bru got it*

Submitted by cajun2 on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 6:37pm.

Skittles represent a liberals version of substance, or should I say sustenance...;-)

~The humorous part

Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 6:59pm.

is that they're serious.

Liberal Deep Thoughts: Skittles = Diversity.

Obama's WTF 2012 campaign slogan: "A dog in every pot"

skittles is for kids*

Submitted by cajun2 on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 7:31pm.

Symbols

Submitted by Jersey Girl on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:21pm.

How about burglar tools, women's jewelry in a guy's backpack, tattoos, hoodies, and gang signs.

Those "symbols" are pretty much established already, JG.

Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:37pm.

I'm wondering if the MSM is still in a snit about Arizona for trying to deport illegal white Hispanics or something, since they NEVER mention that Arizona Tea was also along on that fateful night.

I'm just damned glad that he wasn't carrying M&M's. Otherwise, I'd have to give up eating them! Wouldn't want to be "flashing the wrong sign" to some gang banger by walking down the street eating them.

Comrade Bubba

Well, Easter is almost upon us...

Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:27pm.

Out: Chocolate Bunnies.

In: Chocolate Trayvons.

Guffaw

Submitted by CJohnson on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 7:36pm.

Ya cracked me up..

Hakapelita!

And what about hoodie sales?

Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:41pm.

KOTB: "Skittles obviously has become really kind of a symbol in the whole Trayvon Martin case. A symbol of racial injustice. . . "

It has?

KOTB: ". . . You see people holding up the bags of Skittles in their hands and it clearly means something. Now let's take it from Skittles' point of view. How do you look at this? How do you see it?"

If Skittles sales go up, and I'm CEO of the manufacturer, I'm very happy.

DONNY DEUTSCH: "If you're Skittles point of view, you put your head down and you wait for it to go away. The worst thing that they could do is some people go, "Oh, they should get involved and donate to charity and become..." – you don't want to do it for two reasons. Number one, you keep getting associated with this horrific incident. Number two, you could look exploitive. This happens to brands, but I promise you they will do nothing. Just let Mr. Skittles – let it pass."

Eggggg-zack-ley.

KOTB: "Let me ask you this, let's pretend a story comes up tomorrow that says Skittles profits have gone up 10% because of this Trayvon Martin case. In that case, what should Skittles do?"

DEUTSCH: "Exactly the same thing. Put your head down, let it pass. Because you don't want good attention – what does that say? That all – what are you going to do with that, start marketing to potential killers? What are you going to do? I mean, it's just – there's nothing to do with it."

Egggg-zack-ley.

KOTB: But does it look like you're sort of banking on this kind of thing? And should you take that 10% and say, "We're going to give all the profits we got to this cause"?

The producer of Skittles didn't promote this. It's an absurd question.

And what CAUSE would they donate anything too? Sharpton's National Action Network that hasn't paid $800,000 in Social Security withholding? Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH that paid money to his mistress and love child? How about the victim's mother who trademarked his name?

I'm no fan of Deutsch -- he's an idiot. But on this, he's right and Kotb is the fool.

That's what I was wondering

Submitted by RESTLESS 1 on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:53pm.

What "cause" was Kotb talking about?

"I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders". - Ted Nugent

The ones that are trying to

Submitted by Sude23 on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 6:28pm.

The ones that are trying to bring Zimmerman to justice with out knowing all the facts, just those will do I suppose.

Ah, the Kill Whitey cause

Submitted by RESTLESS 1 on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 8:33pm.

Shoulda known.

"I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders". - Ted Nugent

Skittles

Submitted by djwolf12 on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 6:09pm.

Aren't these the same bags of douche that say that all things sugary should be banned?

BTW.....Taste the Rainbow.....the way these idiots are so "pro rainbow"....you'd think that they would only be satisfied if EVERYONE had something else that represents rainbows in their mouths. There, I said it.

"Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets". - Robert DeNiro, Taxi Driver (1976).

Now that Twinkies is bankrupt. It's now the Skittles defense?

Submitted by upcountrywater on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:46pm.

Sugared up and ready to beat down.
Opps...
Sugar rage is no match for firepower.

You Didn't Build That.

This is

Submitted by fivestring_assassin on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 4:47pm.

Friggen nuts

Mods,,pardon the language

A Recession is when your neighbor is out of a job. A Depression is when YOU are out of a job.. A recovery is when OBAMA is out of a job Hat tip to Ronald Reagan

Evidance

Submitted by Tjexcite on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 5:13pm.

When the final evidence comes out he will not have had any skittles or even a empty bag on his body. And had not eating any when his stomach contents where checked when checking for drugs. I might be wrong but the skittles and ice tea meme came from his girlfriend not a police report.

Wow

Submitted by rockyracoon on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 5:25pm.

Skittles are a racist symbol now? They better be stayin away from my M&Ms!!'

Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.

Liberals now making the gay rainbow a symbol of 'injustice'?

Submitted by Slyrr on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 6:08pm.

I can only imagine the late-night crisis meetings that the people who make Skittles candy must be having now. Suddenly their candy has become a 'symbol of racial injustice'?

On the one hand, Skittles are selling well now, as liberals all over the place rush to grab some so they can have the latest fad 'symbol of racial hatred' clutched in their hands. On the other hand, this has got to be LOUSY P.R. for the people who make skittles. Now instead of thinking of a simple candy treat, they'll be fighting desperately to keep their candy from becoming the latest banner under which liberal savages will be smearing their urine and feces on cop cars.

Just imagine what they might be saying if this black boy had (gasp!) bought a bar of WHITE chocolate? Or Asian trail mix? Or Watermelon Jolly Ranchers? Or some fried chicken? The mind boggles - but only over what liberal madmen will 'read' into this poor boy's choice of taste treats.

Anyway, why are the liberals doing this? Skittle's slogan of late is 'Taste the Rainbow'. Why must they now make the rainbow a 'symbol' of racial injustice? I thought liberals LOVED the rainbow - seeing that it's one of the symbols of the gay movement. Sad. They can't even enjoy candy anymore without trying to embitter it with their hate and their politics. Is there anything sweet that they won't turn sour in their mad quest for communist government?

If a Liberal/Democrat politician/media figure wants to put their arms around you, or pat you on the back, all they're doing is looking for a good place to stick a knife.

Entrepeneurial Spirit Is Alive

Submitted by stratman on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 7:11pm.

Earlier this week, there were a couple of adolescent/early teenage kids hawking Skittles outside a local grocery store. Adults were giving dollar bills for a bag of Skittles. Skittles are sold inside the grocery store for less.

Ah, yes. I can see a Montel Williams-like gig selling "collectable" quarters with stickers of Obama stuck to them in their futures.

And Newt Gingrich said kids don't have role models. Piffle!

Wrigley didn't ask for this publicity or notoriety.

Submitted by drsamherman on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 8:04pm.

This is a case of the liberals shaking down another company just because its product was associated with an incident that was pure coincidence.

Suppose Trayvon Martin had been drinking a can of Red Bull, or eating a bag of Lay's potato chips or possessing any one of a million consumer products. So what? If his mom washed his hoodie with Tide, does that obligate P&G to do anything? No.

As for Toure, nobody cares what he thinks. His mother probably doesn't even like him.

Advertisers need to think twice before running ads on MSNBC

Submitted by gruyere cheese on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 8:23pm.

What does the product have to do with what happened with this sad tragedy. So, according to the smarty pants Hoda companies that make products that appeal to the general public have to make statements by taking sides if and when something similar to this accident happens? It will be financial suicide. Skittles has nothing to do with what happened and should not even be brought into the picture. Are liberals that stupid?

Remember when the msm and Obama made Tuscon about "hate speech"?

Submitted by krendler on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 8:36pm.

Remember when liberals, the msm and Obama made Tuscon about "hate speech"? The meme they pushed - and still push to this day - is that the Giffords shooting was caused by over-the-top conservative rhetoric, when in reality, the perp was mentally ill. I've always thought it disgraceful that Obama went down there and made a speech about toning down the rhetoric, as if "rhetoric" had anything to do with it.

Now, they - Obama included - are doing the same thing with this tragedy: This killing is a symptom of Racist America, evil white people, and a corrupt justice system. Thus, we get the America needs to do some "soul searching" bull$(*%* from Barry.

This

Submitted by bobsmom on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 9:30pm.

clusterfark, and the whole, "war on women", Soledad and the Joel Pollack interview........is it just me? Or am I the only one sitting back with a great big sh!t eating grin on my face watching the liberal circular firing squad? And the whole SCOTUS tearing apart Obamacare is like the Sanders hot fudge on top of the cream puff. I think I know what Chris Matthews' tingle feels like right about now..............