Screaming Yellow Zonkers facts for kids
Screaming Yellow Zonkers was a fun and unique popcorn snack sold in the USA from 1968 to 2007. It was made by a company called Lincoln Snacks. People especially remembered Zonkers for its cool black box packaging, which had bold pictures and really funny writing!
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How Screaming Yellow Zonkers Started
In 1968, Lincoln Snacks wanted to create a new popcorn treat. They already made other popular popcorn snacks like Fiddle Faddle and Poppycock. They came up with a new recipe that was free of nuts and had a bright yellow sugar coating. It was also kosher, meaning it followed special food rules.
The Name and Packaging
Lincoln Snacks asked different advertising companies to come up with ideas for the new snack's name and how to sell it. A small company called Hurvis, Binzer & Churchill won the job. They came up with the catchy name "Screaming Yellow Zonkers." They also designed the famous black box with its bold pictures and detailed drawings.
The Funny Text
A big part of what made Screaming Yellow Zonkers special was the hilarious text written on the boxes. Writers Allan Katz and Howie Kraków created these funny messages. The text would often describe silly things, like how to "wash" or "mate" your Zonkers!
One famous example of the funny writing was on the bottom of the box. It explained how to tell if you were holding the bottom: "Open the top, and turn the box upside down. If the Zonkers fall out, this is the bottom. If they fall up, this is the top. If nothing happens, this box is empty." Another funny line joked that 8 ounces (about 226 grams) of Zonkers was equal to 1⁄4,409 of a metric ton, which is a tiny fraction of a very large weight!
Changing Designs
Over the years, the text, pictures, and drawings on the boxes changed. Different artists were invited to design the packaging, keeping the same fun style. For example, artist Charlie White helped illustrate a "Circus" themed box. He also drew a huge Zonkers circus poster that people could buy. This special circus box was even shown in the famous Louvre museum in Paris, France!
Why Screaming Yellow Zonkers Disappeared
Screaming Yellow Zonkers stopped being made when a bigger company called Conagra bought Lincoln Foods in 2007. However, Conagra did bring back Zonkers for a short time in 2012, selling them in limited editions at Walgreens stores.
