{"id":1581,"date":"2012-02-29T13:56:55","date_gmt":"2012-02-29T18:56:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.collectingcandy.com\/wordpress\/?p=1581"},"modified":"2012-03-02T01:14:07","modified_gmt":"2012-03-02T06:14:07","slug":"wacky-wednesdays-dots-n-shots-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/collectingcandy.com\/wordpress\/?p=1581","title":{"rendered":"Wacky Wednesdays – Dots n’ Shots edition."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Happy Leap Day, everyone!\u00a0 February 29th – a perfect day to launch Wacky Wednesdays.<\/p>\n

Long before I started collecting candy, I was collecting and sticking Wacky Packages.\u00a0 But my love of both originated at the same time; during my early childhood in the 1970’s.<\/p>\n

For those that might not know, Wacky Packages are packaging parody stickers, whose targets are exclusively consumer-purchased products.\u00a0 Wacky Packages were a huge phenomenon in the early 70’s, having even outsold baseball cards for a time –\u00a0 an unprecedented feat where non-sport cards were concerned.<\/p>\n

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I loved Wackys, and much to the chagrin of my mother, my older brother Jeff and I pasted our childhood closet door with them.\u00a0 Later, when we had to find a way to remove those stickers, it would be to our chagrin, but that’s another story.<\/p>\n

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Topps Wacky Packages stickers from the 1970's. (c) Topps<\/p><\/div>\n

A big seller in the 70’s with minor revivals in the 80’s and 90’s, it would not be until the 2000’s when Wackys would experience a full-blown Renaissance.\u00a0 Launching Wacky Packages “All-New Series” in 2004, they have since released seven more All-New Series, as well as two series of “Wacky Flashbacks”, multiple series of successful postcards, and finally the wonderful Wacky Packages “Old School”, having just launched a third series two weeks ago. \u00a0 Beyond the stickers themselves there have been countless licensed items that have tapped into the retro-nostalgia market for the brand.<\/p>\n

As a candy collector, I’ve enjoyed tracking down the original candy packages that Wacky Packages are based on.\u00a0\u00a0 So, if a Wacky Package released in 1974 parodied Sugar Babies, I will try to find a 1974 Sugar Babies pack to match.\u00a0 It’s a challenge, but it’s rewarding and I like putting the original packaging context to the stickers.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, today I’m launching a new feature here on CollectingCandy.com: Wacky Wednesdays.\u00a0 Each week, I’ll be presenting a Wacky Packages sticker and the piece of original candy packaging that it parodies.<\/p>\n

I’ll also be sharing my tales of consulting for the Wacky Packages Old School series.\u00a0 [I have often helped the folks behind Old School zero in on the proper era of 1970’s packaging to work from.]\u00a0 I think it’s going to be a fun weekly feature, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you.<\/p>\n

Today’s Wacky Package sticker comes from 1973’s Wacky Packages Series 5 – it’s a parody of a Mason Dots candy box called SHOTS:<\/p>\n

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Topps Wacky Packages - Series 5 - SHOTS - 1973 - (c) Topps<\/p><\/div>\n

Here’s the Dots candy box I have that matches the Shots parody:<\/p>\n

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Mason - DOTS - 10-cent candy box - 1970's<\/p><\/div>\n

I have a number of 1970’s Mason Dots boxes, and I believe I can safely point to this one as the same version used by the original Wacky artist to work from.\u00a0 But due to the nature of multiple size boxes offered for Dots back then, it’s impossible to be absolutely sure.\u00a0 Needless to say, this one appears to match up on all relevant points.<\/p>\n

Mason Dots are a classic American candy that have been around for generations, so it’s only fitting that they should have received the Wacky treatment.\u00a0 The Wacky is simple and straightforward as was the original box.\u00a0 Eventually I’ll be doing a larger retrospective on Dots themselves.\u00a0 They have a long history, and a robust modern life, with regular special editions and holiday versions released.<\/p>\n

So that’s it for today’s Wacky Wednesday.\u00a0 I hope you’ll drop by each week to check out the new editions as we go along.<\/p>\n

Before wrapping up, I’d like to plug a few Wacky-related items that I’m a big fan of.<\/p>\n

For anyone who has fond memories of Wacky Packages or even a mild curiosity, I’d like to recommend two publications from Abrams publishing;\u00a0 they are Wacky Packages<\/em>, and Wacky Packages: New, New, New<\/em>.\u00a0 Both books beautifully reproduce the original\u00a0 artwork and combine to showcase the first fourteen series of 1970’s Wacky Packages.<\/p>\n