Author Topic: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging  (Read 640442 times)

0 Members and 4 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Bigmuc13

  • Posts: 455
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1855 on: February 10, 2020, 03:44:06 PM »
Never really got this one.  The characters are well rendered, but if it is for "nuts" why is there someone in what looks like a military uniform force feeding the cereal into the other guy?  And, what's with the Cap'n Crud type pirate hat?  Finally, there is something odd about the way the art wraps around the box - can't really see a bend, and it looks like they just drew a line through it.

I always thought the guard could have been Mr. Mean's brother!
Still looking for Series 17

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1856 on: February 13, 2020, 08:16:43 AM »
Finishing up the 11th series - Dizzie Cups and Dixie Cups



Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1857 on: February 19, 2020, 04:40:40 AM »
Onto the 12 series!

First on the checklist is Toad vs. Tide, along with the original Tied parody. The 1970s packaging design is very close in design to the 1960s with the exception of the brighter orange and squared sans-serif title font.


« Last Edit: February 19, 2020, 12:19:26 PM by Swiski »

Offline Baked Bears

  • Posts: 1422
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1858 on: February 19, 2020, 09:56:07 AM »
Gags are good and mesh together, but get confusing between the frogs vs. toads.  The toad/frog is a good character.

Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1859 on: February 19, 2020, 10:29:19 AM »
Finishing up the 11th series - Dizzie Cups and Dixie Cups



I like this Wacky - it is silly, as Wackys should be.  The box is instantly recognizable, there's a well painted character, and the gag and taglines are good and go well together.

Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1860 on: February 19, 2020, 10:37:43 AM »
Gags are good and mesh together, but get confusing between the frogs vs. toads.  The toad/frog is a good character.

The frog vs. toad is a disconnect.  For me, Tied wins, hands down.

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1861 on: February 19, 2020, 12:17:07 PM »
The frog vs. toad is a disconnect.  For me, Tied wins, hands down.
I agree. The parody uses the "toad" or "frog" references too much. Maybe get rid of the word "frog" and replace with words like amphibian, croak or ribbit

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1862 on: February 28, 2020, 07:20:25 AM »
Next up is Robot Burns Cigars compared to Robt. Burns Cigars. Wonder if the Wacky Package inspired Bender from Futurama!



« Last Edit: March 02, 2020, 05:00:50 AM by Swiski »

Offline MoldRush

  • Posts: 1146
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1863 on: February 28, 2020, 06:18:38 PM »
Next up is Robot Burns Cigars compared to Robt. Burns Cigars. Wonder if the Wacky Package inspired Bender from Futurama!



Just one of many Wackys whose real product counterpart I had never heard of, thus lessening any possible wow factor that the parody could have.  That being said, decent parody, good execution, and a nice really off-the-wall concept.  Metal screws in place of cigars.  Crazy!

Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1864 on: February 28, 2020, 11:42:57 PM »
Just one of many Wackys whose real product counterpart I had never heard of, thus lessening any possible wow factor that the parody could have.  That being said, decent parody, good execution, and a nice really off-the-wall concept.  Metal screws in place of cigars.  Crazy!

I also had never seen the actual product, but now that I have, I appreciate this Wacky even more.  Fantastic detail, great gag and taglines, and excellent artwork.  I love the smoking robot!
« Last Edit: February 28, 2020, 11:49:07 PM by RawGoo »

Offline Baked Bears

  • Posts: 1422
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1865 on: February 29, 2020, 06:03:34 AM »
There's definitely something phallic about the fiery two nuts and bolt.

Offline Fanatical_and_Sickly

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5690
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1866 on: February 29, 2020, 06:07:47 AM »
concur, another good one.
one oddity is that the robot is smoking a real cigar, whereas the package contains bolts

I've also found a package that looks closer to the wacky image, and contains the leaves and crown symbol that's the origin for the flaming 'nuts & bolt'. While the basic shapes of the two do mimic each other, I'm still surprised Topps let through such a phallic image!


Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1867 on: February 29, 2020, 02:23:26 PM »
concur, another good one.
one oddity is that the robot is smoking a real cigar, whereas the package contains bolts

I've also found a package that looks closer to the wacky image, and contains the leaves and crown symbol that's the origin for the flaming 'nuts & bolt'. While the basic shapes of the two do mimic each other, I'm still surprised Topps let through such a phallic image!

(Image removed from quote.)

Nice! Thank you for the better product image to use for comparison!

Offline Zenergizer

  • Posts: 1099
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1868 on: March 01, 2020, 04:19:50 PM »
this was a product I had never heard about, but grew to enjoy the gag and love the robot character
more and more each time I look at it!

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1869 on: March 05, 2020, 04:24:26 AM »
Pollydent and Polident...



Offline Baked Bears

  • Posts: 1422
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1870 on: March 05, 2020, 06:36:06 AM »
Simple and effective.  I always like the colorful macaw with the dentures.

Offline Jean Nutty

  • Posts: 3377
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1871 on: March 05, 2020, 01:18:05 PM »
As a kid I was baffled about the Pollydent title. I couldn't imagine what the bird had to do with anything - I wasn't familiar with the actual product and didn't connect the reference to "Polly want a cracker."

"Polly" used as a term for a parrot seems to be from England around the 1600's or earlier. In America we say, "Polly want a cracker" (cute baby-talk) and on the other side of the pond they say, "Polly wants a cracker." 






Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1872 on: March 05, 2020, 01:52:10 PM »
I think this is a solid Wacky, with a great gag, and certainly the bird is well rendered.  And, thanks to my grandmother, I was familiar with the product, and she laughed a lot when I showed her the sticker.

Offline Jean Nutty

  • Posts: 3377
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1873 on: March 05, 2020, 11:07:02 PM »
As a kid I never connected the parrot's razor sharp teeth to the parody of the actual product. I guess I was busy watching the Rockford Files.

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1874 on: March 07, 2020, 05:32:24 AM »
Stingline and Swingline...



Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1875 on: March 07, 2020, 07:21:02 AM »
Stingline and Swingline...



Another solid Wacky, with a good gag and taglines, and a great character.

Offline MoldRush

  • Posts: 1146
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1876 on: March 07, 2020, 06:01:56 PM »
We had one of their ‘tot’ staplers in the house for many years, same red color, so when I first saw this Wacky there was that instant product recognition.  I think the staples themselves were smaller than standard size too.

Offline sunsweat

  • Posts: 68
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1877 on: March 09, 2020, 06:06:55 AM »
I had the same red stapler.  The staples were smaller than the regular size.

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1878 on: March 15, 2020, 06:33:12 AM »
As we duck and hide from the coronavirus, here's the next comparison...Duck and Hide with Duncan Hines



Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1879 on: March 15, 2020, 06:58:44 AM »
As we duck and hide from the coronavirus, here's the next comparison...Duck and Hide with Duncan Hines



I really like this one.  We always had a box of this mix around for emergencies, when there was no time for a scratch made cake.  Great gag and character, with matching tag lines, and they nailed the packaging.

Offline DrSushi

  • Posts: 1261
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1880 on: March 15, 2020, 07:13:48 AM »
As we duck and hide from the coronavirus, here's the next comparison...Duck and Hide with Duncan Hines



Thanks for supplying some diversion in these trying times! This sent me down a couple rabbit holes as I'm not always sure which of these brands are named after a real person. For those looking for more diversions, here's a link to the Wikipedia page on Duncan Hines who apparently was an American pioneer of restaurant ratings:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Hines

And here's one to an article on eponymous brands:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30655/11-eponymous-brands-and-people-behind-them


Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1881 on: March 19, 2020, 08:47:51 AM »
Here's the next one. Pieces and Reese's. The real packaging still looks virtually the same today.



Offline drono

  • Posts: 1412
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1882 on: March 19, 2020, 08:52:03 AM »
I always wondered if they "borrowed" the name Pieces when they made their peanut butter filled m&m
 product knockoff.

Offline bigtomi

  • Posts: 2158
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1883 on: March 19, 2020, 10:37:11 AM »
I always wondered if they "borrowed" the name Pieces when they made their peanut butter filled m&m product knockoff.
I highly doubt it. It's a pretty natural extension of the product name.

Offline RawGoo

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 7061
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1884 on: March 19, 2020, 12:49:45 PM »
Here's the next one. Pieces and Reese's. The real packaging still looks virtually the same today.



Boring packaging to start with, but the well rendered hand helps on the Wacky.  Good gag and taglines, but still, for some reason this one never grabbed me.

Offline Baked Bears

  • Posts: 1422
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1885 on: March 20, 2020, 05:20:15 AM »
... for some reason this one never grabbed me.

Me neither.  For that matter, I barely even remember it from back in the day.

Offline MoldRush

  • Posts: 1146
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1886 on: March 20, 2020, 01:01:50 PM »
Here's the next one. Pieces and Reese's. The real packaging still looks virtually the same today.


Never saw any of 12 back in the day, which I guess makes any critiques I give more objectivity, given the lack of sentimental favoritism that I have for certain other series.

I think 12 in general does a nice job with the various candy titles, and I think Pieces is a decent one too.  Now fast forward beyond the creation of Reese’s Pieces, and the Pieces title wouldn’t have worked.  Fair to say the ANS-era titles, particularly the promo postcard ReSee’s Peepers, are a more extreme and better stretch of where one can go with the humor on this brand and its expanded product line.   But for it’s time, I like Pieces just fine.

Offline Swiski

  • Posts: 2107
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1887 on: March 21, 2020, 01:47:45 PM »
Wrecko and Necco...



Offline MoldRush

  • Posts: 1146
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1888 on: March 22, 2020, 03:40:13 PM »
Simple but I guess more or less ok parody, but could use a character, or something to sell the gag.  The other thing I notice is that the parody’s wrapper doesn’t really capture the wax paper look of the actual product, nor the flat, wafer-like, chalky appearance of the candy itself.  Unless the candy looked a little different back in the day?  But what’s shown here is pretty much exactly what I remember it to have always been like.

Speaking of NECCO, does anyone know if the wafers or the rest of the product line are back in production?  There was a last-minute buyer of NECCO, another candy company, that came in and scooped them up, though details were very sketchy as far as when and where they anticipated resuming production.

Offline sco(o)t

  • Posts: 4489
  • Looking:Postcard Ser4 BUGWEISER Smokin' Joe sketch
Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1889 on: March 22, 2020, 04:59:34 PM »
Don’t know if that’s what the early ‘70s Necco packaging looked like, but if so, the tag line “America’s original candy wafer” would have certainly lended itself to become “America’s original candy wager” given the betting theme of the parody.
aka Scot Leibacher (no trademark)