For this week’s edition of Wacky Wednesdays, we turn our attention to 1974’s Wacky Packages Series 6, and Bum Bums, the parody of Nabisco Confections’ Pom Poms.
Pom Poms have been around at least since the 1940’s, and along with Sugar Babies and Junior Mints, were originally a part of the Welch’s family of candies. By the 1970’s, however, all of the Welch’s candy brands had become a part of Nabisco Confections, and that’s when this parody sticker hit shelves.
Bum Bums - from Topps' Wacky Packages Series 6 - 1974
Bum Bums is a fine parody, though there’s not as much direct word-play across all the elements of the package. I do especially like the “The candy that’s good to handout” line.
I have a Pom Poms box from the era that is very close to what was used as the basis for Bum Bums, though my box does not have a horizontal line of text in red, so mine might be earlier, or a bit later.
Nabisco - Pom Poms candy box - early-to-mid-1970's
Not long after this, by 1976 or 1977, Pom Poms underwent a significant packaging redesign, so this look was already on the way out by the time it was parodied. Here’s a look at the design that followed:
Nabisco - Pom Poms - candy box - mid-to-late 1970's
Pom Poms are still around today, though now they’ve been brought closer together with their long-time sister candies, Junior Mints; Pom Poms are now known as Junior Caramels.
And that’s everything for today’s edition of Wacky Wednesdays. See you back here tomorrow for more fun!
Ha! I have never seen this one… priceless. Cigar-smoking bums- ya can’t do that anymore.