After covering the US Marathon bar and its secret origins as well as its UK namesake and the bar that inspired it (CurlyWurly), I’m going to round it out with the WigWag.
Produced and sold by Mackintosh’s Canadian arm, the WigWag, like the US Marathon, appears to have largely been a 1970’s phenomenon. According to the trademark registration data on this, it was first filed in March of 1972 and registered in April of 1973. Using that as a kind of guide, I’d estimate that WigWag could have been on-sale by 1972.
I wasn’t able to dig up any more details on WigWag, or any other wrapper variations. What I was able to determine is that WigWag is fondly remembered by many.
WigWag wrapper - 1970's. Courtesy Donald Hamm.
Tomorrow I’ll be back with a topic that is not tied into my love of chocolate-covered-caramel.
Closing with a visual-review:
The Marathon bar and all the places it's led me.
About Jason Liebig
A New York City based writer, editor and sometimes actor. After spending much of the 1990′s in the comic book business helping tell the stories of Marvel Comics’ X-Men as series editor, he has since split his time between developing his own entertainment properties while still consulting and working on others.
Having been described as “the Indiana Jones of lost and forgotten candy”, Jason is one of the country’s premier candy collectors and historians with his discoveries appearing in countless blogs, magazines, newspaper articles, and books.
Always happy to share his knowledge and unique perspectives on this colorful part of our popular culture, Jason has consulted with New York’s Museum of Food and Drink and has also been a featured guest on Food Network’s Heavyweights, France’s M6 Capital, and New York’s TheActionRoom.com.
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Oh sure, confuse me why don’t you! Now I don’t know if it was Marathon or WigWag I remember so fondly, as it’s the bar – not the wrapper that I can recall so clearly. Was the Marathon sold in Canada as well?
Glen, to the best of my knowledge, Marathon was never officially distributed in Canada. So you may well be remembering WigWag. Nutty, right?
Wig Wag it was then. Funny how sometimes it’s the packaging, but in this case it was the bar itself that I can remember like I had it yesterday.
WigWag was one of my very favourite bars from when I was kid. And all of my friends in my age group remember it, too and speak really fondly of it. Delish! Great post
When i was young i ate 1 wigwag a day the cost was 0.25 cent they we’re so good and today if i want something similar i buy the new mars caramel the taste is very similar and i like it
At the Bulk Barn in Canada, they sell a chocolate bar called the CurlyWurly by Cadbury. It is exactly what I remember a WigWag bar to be, though of course, it seems smaller. It is fantastic!!
In the summer of 1977 I was 6 years old. I remember vividly visiting the convenience store (yes back then kids could travel the world by themselves as long as they’d be back for supper.) that was 2 minute walking distance from my house and looking to buy me a treat with that 25¢. The woman behind the counter fell under my charm. As I was walking back and forth in front of the stack of candy bars undecided. Then the lady walked up to me (yes they gave you service back then) and said “I have a gift for you”. I didn’t know what was in that super long white wrapper until I took a bite. I remember working hard on that chewy caramel to get one bite off while the stretching caramel made the covering chocolate crack and fall. Mmmmm ! I was a happy gigolo.
Anyone remember the Five Star bar from the 60’s-70’s in Canada?
James,
I didn’t live in Canada, but I’ve got Canadian Five Star bar wrappers in my archives, so I’m aware of them. 🙂
does anyone remember the commercial for Wig Wag? Where they danced and swung their arms in a circle from the elbows??
Oh yes I do, lol!!!!
Wig Wag… loved them as a kid. I do remember the commercial with the “elbow dance” . I also vividly remember the tag line,, motto, what have you for WigWag.. Does anyone else? It went with the dance and the “hands” commercial”.
It was: ” WigWag WigWag, two hands long”. While showing kids hands, finger tips to finger tips. Remember thinking how HUGE they must be.