The other day I saw some unfamiliar M&Ms packaging in a local drugstore.
The Retro Tube!
I wondered whether this was truly a reissue of an old packaging style or just a marketing ploy—a “remember a time that never was” kind of thing—and I asked an older woman in front of me whether she remembered M&Ms ever having come in that kind of package in the past. She said no, she didn’t.
But, some quick internet research reveals that, in fact, M&Ms really did come in a tube when they were first introduced as “a compact, durable food source for troops during World War II.” (Source: candywarehouse.com)
Not only was this bit of history interesting to learn, but it led to my discovering this really cool interface on the Mars company’s M&M history page.
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Great food and packaging pictures
The New Yorker profiles Roald Dahl
Tags: candy, food, history, M&Ms, marketing, Mars, packaging, retro, World War II
The M&M website reminds me of Apple’s Time Machine interface.
Comment by Justin 01.07.09 @ 3:16 pmLoving those 1941 contextual slogans: “Good tactics” “Now 100% at war!”
Comment by Nick Marsh 01.08.09 @ 3:21 amNick,
It’s fascinating to see how that kind of messaging changes over time, across cultures, etc., isn’t it.
There’s a good list of propaganda collections here.
Comment by Dan Soltzberg 01.08.09 @ 12:28 pm