The two words in the above headline instantly bring a giant glass pitcher with a smiling face crashing through a brick wall into the minds of generations of kids. If you grew up in the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s, you probably spent more than a few afternoons mixing colorful packets of Kool-Aid with sugar and water to create the ultimate thirst quencher. Some of you may even still have the old plastic pitcher with permanent red or purple stains that no amount of scrubbing could ever remove.
Yes, I am talking about Kool-Aid and its unforgettable mascot, the Kool-Aid Man. The brand still exists today under Kraft Heinz, but it doesn’t seem to hold the magical status it once did. Back then, Kool-Aid was more than a drink. It was part of summer.
The story began in 1927 when Edwin Perkins of Hastings, Nebraska, figured out how to turn a liquid drink concentrate called Fruit Smack into a powdered mix that was cheaper and easier to ship. Like many great inventions, it started with experiments in his mother’s kitchen. Production later moved to Chicago, and the wildly successful product eventually caught the attention of General Foods, which purchased the brand.
If you have ever visited Hastings, you know the city proudly embraces its claim to fame. Every August, residents celebrate Kool-Aid Days, and Nebraska even named Kool-Aid its official soft drink. If another beverage deserved the title, nobody has made a convincing argument.
The original six flavors were cherry, grape, lemon-lime, orange, raspberry and strawberry. My favorites were grape and strawberry, although I rarely turned down any flavor that appeared in the refrigerator. Over the years, new favorites such as tropical punch, pink lemonade, black cherry, watermelon and summer punch joined the lineup. Choosing a favorite often depended on which color you wanted your tongue to become.
Then came the marketing genius. General Foods introduced the Kool-Aid Man in the 1950s, and television commercials were never the same. The giant smiling pitcher burst through walls, fences and whatever else stood in his way before proudly announcing, “Oh, yeah!” Every kid secretly hoped that one day the Kool-Aid Man would smash through the family room wall and head straight for the kitchen. I even owned a Kool-Aid Man ringer T-shirt that I practically wore threadbare.
Today, Kool-Aid comes in convenient liquid drops, but convenience is overrated. Nothing compares to standing on a kitchen chair, carefully dumping the powder into a pitcher, adding what seemed like a mountain of sugar and stirring everything together with a wooden spoon. Somehow, it always tasted better when you made it yourself.
Some drinks quench your thirst. Kool-Aid bottled childhood. And every time I hear someone say, “Oh, yeah,” I am reminded that the sweetest flavors are often the ones served with a generous helping of memories.
Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.
P.S. If you are curious how Kool-Aid’s TV marketing changed through the years, check out this fun video.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707