Welcome back for this week’s edition of Wacky Wednesdays! For today I’ve selected another offering from the recently-released Wacky Packages Old School series 4 – Now & Never. Now & Never is a parody of the 1970’s package for Now & Later.
As with a number of previous selections, I had a hand in helping determine exactly which Now & Later package was the correct 1970’s version to use for the Old School series. The fact is that beyond sites like this one and my colleagues on Flickr, there isn’t a central repository of vintage packaging reference – so Old School artist David Gross was again able to enlist my expertise to figure out the right Now & Later pack for him to use.
When Dave first contacted me about this one, I wasn’t sure what the Now & Later packaging looked like in the early-to-mid-1970’s. I had a photo of a 1960’s pack and I had a photo of an early 80’s pack but not what came in-between. Over the course of the following months, I was finally able to uncover and provide the era-appropriate reference images he needed for the parody. Now & Never was the result:
Topps – Wacky Packages Old School 4 – Now & Never – 2012
The key piece of packaging reference came in the form of this 1974 trade ad which I was able to track down – and which provided the model for the Old School parody:
Now & Later – candy industry trade ad – October 1974
One of Dave’s big challenges in finding the right packaging for Wacky Packages Old School beyond how hard it is to track down at all, is that sometimes package designs changed during the period of years he’s looking at, occasionally multiple times. In the case of Now & Later however, the package was revamped only once, early on in the decade – likely sometime in 1974. I couldn’t narrow it down completely, but I compared the following trade ad images, and the dates they were published:
Now & Later Early 70’s packaging change
The 1973 pack was using a design that carried over from the middle-1960’s. That 1974 package style was the one that would last through into the early 1980’s, and so Dave decided that it was the more iconically-1970’s version of the packaging and the one he would use.
Not long after the Now & Never reference image had been decided upon, I finally acquired an actual 1970’s Now & Later package wrapper. I’d not had one in my collection previously and though it was not the grape flavor referenced for the Wacky Package, it is the same style design and era of wrapper.
Here’s the cello wrapper for a 1977 Now & Later Chocolate package:
Phoenix Candy Co – Now & Later – Chocolate – cello candy wrapper – 1977
I think that Chocolate Now & Later wrapper is pretty spectacular!
And that’s everything I’ve got for today’s edition of Wacky Wednesdays. See you next time!
Excellent! It’s that 1974+ wrapper that is most familiar to me. A pack of Grape Now & Laters was often a staple for me on long car trips. I’d love to find one for my collection.
how do get the old now& later 1974/74
Ronda, There is no way to get old Now & Laters. Sorry.
Lemon and vanilla were my favorites as well as grape chocolate green apple
Can candy be ordered
I’m afraid not, Kimberly. This is a candy history site, not a store. Much of what is covered here has long ceased production.
Where do I find the chocolate now & laters I so needs them n my life rite now
Elizabeth,
Unfortunately, chocolate Now & Laters haven’t been made for a long time. Last time they were on sale was 20-30 years ago.
-Jason
HOW DO I GET CHOCOLATE NOW LATER.
Pearllean,
Sadly, the only way to get Chocolate-flavored Now and Later is to travel back in time to when they were last manufactured, which was to my estimation over twenty years ago. You might also lobby the company that currently makes them, which is the Ferrara Candy Company. The website for Now and Later is here: http://www.nowandlater.com/
I really would like to order some chocolate now laters
Neque,
Sadly, I don’t think Now and Laters have been produced in the chocolate flavor for a few decades.
-Jason
I’m so sad to read the comments about the chocolate nowandlaters I to wanted some,loved them as a child sorry to hear there no longer made:-(
Chocolate Now and Laters or we riot! Had lots of candy in my day but chocolate n&l is what I remember.
Can you please tell me how to order Chocolate flaored Now&Later
can u please tell me how to get my hands on some chocolate now & laters for my wife please. our anniversary is coming on may 30 I would love to surprise her.
Unfortunately, chocolate Now & Laters haven’t been made for a long time. Last time they were on sale was 20-30 years ago.
-Jason
Will the chocolate and rum flavors ever be made again?
where can I find cinnamon now and laters.
Am I the only one that love them when I was a kid. I can’t find them.
Hi Gregg,
Unfortunately it seems as though Cinnamon Now & Laters were discontinued and never relaunched.
Where can I get rainbow, chocolate,orange, and mystery mix nowlaters?