This week’s Friday Flashback comes to us courtesy of Retroist.com…

The Most Memorable Candy Commercials of the 1980s

From Retroist:

The 1980s were a great time for child product marketing. The toy, cereal and candy commercials clogged the airwaves every day, filling our small brains with thoughts of plastic fun and sugar coated impulse buys. Many of these classic ads are indelibly burned into our brains. Here are a few of the most memorable candy commercials from the 1980s:

Big League Chew

I am not allowed to eat Big League Chew and when I say eat I mean eat. I am one of “THOSE” people who for some reason cannot chew this gum, but instead swallows it at the first opportunity. It was a problem that in my youth left my stomach swelled with gum and my family wide-eyed with disgust. Needless to say, I was expressly forbidden from buying the chew. Still, whenever I scoped the classic sports themed commercial I would try and sneak a pouch to bring to Little League with me. Of course I would finish on the walk to the park and be the most bloated 3rd baseman on the field.

Twizzlers

The magic Twizzler mouth still gives me nightmares. Sometimes when I try to sleep I can still see this gibbering hungry mouth searching for me in the darkness at the edge of my bed.

Bonkers

Bonkers were not quite gum and not quite taffy. They were sort of a variation on the Starburst with a little more chewiness and unlike the sunshine themed Starburst, Bonkers decided that the threat of death by crushing was a much more attractive marketing ploy. I am glad they did, because it made for some very memorable commercials.

Whatchamacallit

Tom and Bill just finished lunch and Bill pulls out a candy bar and starts snacking.

Tom -What you eating?

Bill -- Whatchamacallit.

Tom -But what’s the name of what you are eating?

Bill -- Whatchamacallit.

Tom -You don’t know the name?

Bill -- I told you the name.

Tom -You said Whatchamacallit.

Bill -- That’s right.

Tom plunges a fork into Bill’s brain, ending this battle of circular logic.

Holiday M&M’s

M&Ms know how to do the holidays up right. That is why even after all the other great holiday product tie-ins have fallen to the wayside, M&Ms continue to endure as a symbol of holiday frivolity. My X-mas is not complete without a heaping bowl of red and green peanut M&Ms.

Caramello

This makes a lot more sense when you grew up watching Peter Gabriel stop motion music videos.

And I have to personally add one more to the list:

California Raisins

Yes, raisins were heavily marketed as nature’s candy in the ’80s through a fun variety of little dancing purple guys… and it was quite successful. Well, I don’t know how much it actually made me want to eat raisins, but it did make me want to buy California Raisins figures, clothing, etc. And it definitely got that darn song stuck in the heads of every television-watcher across the United States.

Be sure to check out The Retroist every day for more great retro fun.

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