Author Topic: Old School Products  (Read 13705 times)

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Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #35 on: December 08, 2017, 05:06:12 PM »
Yeah, Nestle opted for "retro style" packaging than a true throwback for Bottle Caps and Gobstoppers.  M&M's on the other hand, illustrated their various era mascots and threw them on packages, but the packaging themselves wasn't iconic to certain periods, so they went with a general stripped down look.  As for the throwback Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales, well, I understand why they went with what they did, but it WOULD be terrific fun to have them roll out a truly throwback package release.  I mean... it would be epic, and same goes for a properly-done throwback Wonka-line. 

I remember reading a while back that Wacky Wafers and Tart n Tinys were coming back, but I've yet to see them.  On a related note, I wish more candies that have been around a long time would roll out retro packaging like m&ms did last year. Even when they try, they never truly match the old designs.  Bottle Caps, Gobstoppers and Mike & Ike, I'm talking to you!  Cereal companies do a much better job at that.
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #36 on: December 08, 2017, 05:08:30 PM »
Yeah, I really dig the new Tart n Tinys and think the flavor and texture are authentic to how they used to be.  But I have an ongoing debate with the head of Leaf on if he got the size right.  I have reason to believe Tart n Tinys were actually even more tiny than he thinks, up until the early 1980's. 

I've heard that Wacky Wafers are out and getting lots of orders.  Apparently the 'snap' of cracking one of the classic Wacky Wafer discs is intact and accurately replicates the feel and texture of the originals.  Haven't tried them yet myself, but hope to soon!

Tart n Tinys are back....manufactured by Leaf in their origional non candy coated from. I have had two boxes recently...they are pretty good but can't touch Smog Balls  ;)
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline RawGoo

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #37 on: December 08, 2017, 05:27:16 PM »
Anyone remember Tangy Taffy?

Offline Liquidfox

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #38 on: December 08, 2017, 05:32:15 PM »
Anyone remember Tangy Taffy?

Where is the "Like" button? Those and Now and Laters.

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #39 on: December 08, 2017, 06:54:18 PM »
Anyone remember Tangy Taffy?
Sure, I still see it all the time.  Just noticed in Rite-Aid today that they also have a movie box format - mixed flavor bite-size pieces.  But sometimes they'll put the candy in a stiff cellophane bag and then stuff that in the movie box so you really don't end up getting a whole lot.  I suspect that's the case with the Tangy Taffy.  Same problem with boxed m&m's.  I stick to those where the contents are "naked" inside the box - Goober's, Sno-Caps, Dots, Gobstoppers, etc.

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #40 on: December 08, 2017, 06:56:22 PM »
Yeah, I really dig the new Tart n Tinys and think the flavor and texture are authentic to how they used to be.  But I have an ongoing debate with the head of Leaf on if he got the size right.  I have reason to believe Tart n Tinys were actually even more tiny than he thinks, up until the early 1980's. 

I've heard that Wacky Wafers are out and getting lots of orders.  Apparently the 'snap' of cracking one of the classic Wacky Wafer discs is intact and accurately replicates the feel and texture of the originals.  Haven't tried them yet myself, but hope to soon!
Wow, time to go hunting.  Anywhere you know of in NYC that has the Tart n Tinys?

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #41 on: December 08, 2017, 06:59:37 PM »
Where is the "Like" button? Those and Now and Laters.
Would love it if they did retro packaging for Now & Laters, same design as the Old School spoof.  I went through those things like a buzz saw back in the day.  And loved every flavor they made.  There must have been a dozen.  Jason has an awesome ad sheet on his site.

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #42 on: December 08, 2017, 09:34:37 PM »
Actually, they don't make a product called "Tangy Taffy" anymore.  It's all "Laffy Taffy" now.  BUT, the Laffy Taffy of 2017 IS the Tangy Taffy of two decades ago.   

What happened is this: Tangy Taffy bars were produced by the Sunline company starting in 1970 (same folks who produced Sweetarts), and that company was purchased by Nestle in the early 1990's.  Nestle also acquired a company called Beich's, who had been producing a small individually-wrapped taffy product called "Laffy Taffy" as far back as the early 1960's, where each wrapper had a joke written in it. 

So, after owning both taffy brands, in the late 1990's they got rid of the "Tangy" name and merged under one brand. 

Eventually, the product format of small wax-wrapped cubes that was the original "Laffy Taffy" was phased out, leaving what we have now.  Laffy Taffy remains only in name, while Tangy Taffy remains only in product.   
« Last Edit: December 08, 2017, 09:36:28 PM by JasonLiebig »
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #43 on: December 09, 2017, 05:41:03 AM »
Wow, that distinction went right over my head.  Didn't notice the "tangy" vs. "laffy" at all.  Interestingly, the movie box I mentioned had a blurb on it to the effect that each piece (presumably somewhere on an individual wrapper) had a joke or riddle on it.  So I guess there's another relic of the history you mentioned.  Kind of takes me back to those ice pops with a riddle wood-burned onto the stick.  Good times.

Offline RawGoo

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #44 on: December 09, 2017, 07:43:04 AM »
Thanks for the explanation, Jason.  I was a big Tangy Taffy fan back in the 80's.

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #45 on: December 09, 2017, 03:49:01 PM »
Yeah, I think it speaks to the power of some of these brands, so that even when "Tangy" had not been on those bars for over 20 years, you still saw it as such. 

I'm sure I'm not alone, but when I'm in the town I grew up in, I still call some local businesses (and their buildings) by names they haven't had in 30 years or more.   :]

 
Wow, that distinction went right over my head.  Didn't notice the "tangy" vs. "laffy" at all.  Interestingly, the movie box I mentioned had a blurb on it to the effect that each piece (presumably somewhere on an individual wrapper) had a joke or riddle on it.  So I guess there's another relic of the history you mentioned.  Kind of takes me back to those ice pops with a riddle wood-burned onto the stick.  Good times.
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #46 on: December 09, 2017, 07:21:44 PM »
I think an Old School Series of products from the 80's and 90's (separately, of course) would be great.  I will think about that, but a few thoughts off the top of my head:

*I like the idea of products that had their heyday in the respective decade.  However, not all products in the original series Wackys "peaked" in the 70's, so I don't think things need to be completely limited to that.  I mean, did Planter's Peanuts (to pick one of many examples) reach its zenith in the 70's?  I'm sure not.  As long as the parody is of the respective decade's packaging, it's all good to me.

*Jolt Cola!

*I'm not certain, but I think the Golden Oreos may have been introduced in the 80's.  Again, while hardly limited to an 80's product, I think something like that would be fair game for an 80's set.  So maybe an item introduced in a decade is a good reason to go with it.

*Even though some get upset when a product like Tide has been parodied multiple times, I don't think it's such a bad idea.  It's even less bad if the packaging has changed a bit.  The bottom line to me is that the parody/character is good.  If so, it doesn't bother me if the item was already done in the original series.

*Two of my favorite categories of products are cereal and trading cards.  I have some good research materials for those.  I'll look through some and post a list of some suggested titles.
 

Offline Liquidfox

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #47 on: December 09, 2017, 07:29:31 PM »
Celeste pizza comes to mind.... was Mama Celeste but then changed to just Celeste. Pretty sure that brand peaked in the 80's.

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #48 on: December 11, 2017, 06:34:46 PM »
So looking through a book with a pretty extensive collection of nonsports cards, I came up with a possible list of 80s and 90s products that could be fair game for an Old School series dedicated to their respective decades.

First, the 80s - with the number of possible wrapper designs to use
A-Team -2
Alf - 2
Batman (movie) - 2
Cyndi Lauper - 2
Dallas
Dinosaurs Attack - 2 or 3
Donkey Kong
ET
Empire Strikes Back - 3
Fright Flicks - 4
Gremlins
Knight Rider
Little Shop of Horrors
Masters of the Universe - 4
Michael Jackson - 2
Pac-Man
Rambo
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return of the Jedi - 8
WWF Wrestling

Now, the 90s
Desert Storm - 3
Home Alone 2
The Simpsons - 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (kinda straddling the decade, but lots of different series and wrappers)
Yo! MTV Raps
Tiny Toon Adventures

I was surprised at how many more "good" prospects there were in the 80s than 90s.  Perhaps that's due to my age.  Or maybe the limitations of the book I used.  Either way, seems like there are some good ones to use.  Let me know, Dave, if you want any pics or further info.  I'll get around to looking into cereals for the two decades later this week.

Offline slamjim

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #49 on: December 11, 2017, 07:15:44 PM »
Celeste pizza comes to mind.... was Mama Celeste but then changed to just Celeste. Pretty sure that brand peaked in the 80's.

I did this one right before the 50th set thinking it was going to be regular products. I'm sure I can adjust it to 80s packaging.


Offline paulygsparodies

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #50 on: December 12, 2017, 06:45:21 AM »
So looking through a book with a pretty extensive collection of nonsports cards, I came up with a possible list of 80s and 90s products that could be fair game for an Old School series dedicated to their respective decades.

First, the 80s - with the number of possible wrapper designs to use
A-Team -2
Alf - 2
Batman (movie) - 2
Cyndi Lauper - 2
Dallas
Dinosaurs Attack - 2 or 3
Donkey Kong
ET
Empire Strikes Back - 3
Fright Flicks - 4
Gremlins
Knight Rider
Little Shop of Horrors
Masters of the Universe - 4
Michael Jackson - 2
Pac-Man
Rambo
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return of the Jedi - 8
WWF Wrestling

Now, the 90s
Desert Storm - 3
Home Alone 2
The Simpsons - 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (kinda straddling the decade, but lots of different series and wrappers)
Yo! MTV Raps
Tiny Toon Adventures

I was surprised at how many more "good" prospects there were in the 80s than 90s.  Perhaps that's due to my age.  Or maybe the limitations of the book I used.  Either way, seems like there are some good ones to use.  Let me know, Dave, if you want any pics or further info.  I'll get around to looking into cereals for the two decades later this week.


For me 80s=ALF (RALF)
90s=Tiny Toon Adventures (Tiny Tooth with Dentures)

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #51 on: December 31, 2017, 10:25:14 AM »
Finally got around to looking into possible cereals to use for either an 80s or 90s Old School series.  It surprised me how many more "good" candidates I found for the 80s, but some of those could also be used in a 90s set. 

80s
C3PO's
Circus Fun
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Cracker Jack Cereal
Dunkin Donuts Cereal
ET
Fruit Islands
Halfsies
Ice Cream Cones
Mr T
Mueslix
OJs
Pac-Man
Powdered Donutz
Raisin Squares
Rocky Road
Smurf-Berry Crunch
Strawberry Shortcake
Yummy Mummy
(probably my favorites would be C3POs, Mr T, and Yummy Mummy, though there are some other great ones there as well)

90s
Big Mixx
Hidden Treasures
Spider-Man (1995)
Sprinkle Spangles
Sun Crunchers
Triples
Urkel-Os
(not as many, but I think all would work pretty well)

Hope this gives you some ideas, Dave.  Let me know if you need any pictures or further info.  I'm curious if others have any to add to the list or what favorites folks might have.

Offline Jean Nutty

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #52 on: December 31, 2017, 12:25:50 PM »

Cracker Jack Cereal?!    That's news to me.

     

Offline paulygsparodies

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #53 on: December 31, 2017, 01:57:41 PM »
In the 90s old school series, there should spoofs of movies and cartoons on t-shirts, like Sick Tracy [Dick Tracy] and Barf Wimpson [Bart Simpson]. Like=

2 Stupor Dogs-2 Stupid Dogs
Cuteness-Clueless
Pyromaniacs-Animaniacs
Peon Flux-Aeon Flux
The Fluman Show-The Truman Show

Pauly

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #54 on: January 01, 2018, 05:40:35 PM »
Cracker Jack Cereal?!    That's news to me.

     (Image removed from quote.)

Yeah, not sure if that would make a good choice as it was quite obscure.  However, perhaps a tie-in to Cracked Jerk would make a cool meta-wacky  :-\

Offline mikecho

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Re: Old School Products
« Reply #55 on: January 22, 2018, 10:07:46 AM »
In the 90s old school series, there should spoofs of movies and cartoons on t-shirts, like Sick Tracy [Dick Tracy] and Barf Wimpson [Bart Simpson]. Like=

2 Stupor Dogs-2 Stupid Dogs
Cuteness-Clueless
Pyromaniacs-Animaniacs
Peon Flux-Aeon Flux
The Fluman Show-The Truman Show

Pauly
I just thought up one that would go great with your Animaniacs parody-Stinky and the Slain (Pinky and the Brain).