The Willy Wonka Candy Company
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The Willy Wonka Candy Company is a brand of candy owned by the Nestlé company using licensed materials from Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory for their packaging and marketing. The brand is used on a range of candies in North America and a range of chocolate bars in the United Kingdom. Nestlé also sells both candy and chocolate under the Willy Wonka brand in Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Products include the Everlasting Gobstopper and the Wonka Bar, both named after candies in Dahl's book.
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[edit] History
The brand started in 1971, when the Chicago candy company Breaker Confections licensed the "Willy Wonka" name so it could be used as a merchandising tie-in for the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory; however the first candies were not produced until 1976.[1]
In 1980, Breaker Confections changed its name to Willy Wonka Brands. Nestlé bought the company in 1988.[1] In the U.S., the candies are still made in the Chicago suburb, Itasca, Illinois.[1]
[edit] Promotion
Willy Wonka Candy Company products feature a cartoon version of Willy Wonka influenced by aspects of Quentin Blake's book illustrations and Gene Wilder's portrayal of the character in the 1971 film, and voiced by Maurice LaMarche in commercials. Ads typically feature Wonka speaking directly to the viewer and inviting them into his factory where a new candy is being produced. We get a glimpse at the candy's manufacturing process, which, in keeping with the spirit of the film, is fantastic and whimsical. Afterwards, Wonka holds the candy up to the screen, and it remains there while an Oompa-Loompa pops up and says the company's slogan: "What will he think of next?"
The Wonka brand was re-launched in 2005 - in Australia, and some Europe locations - to tie in with Tim Burton's big-screen version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The brand, which had been used for a number of sweets and chocolates, had been dormant for a number of years[citation needed] until the film came out. Then with this marketing tie-in a small range of Wonka Bars were launched, utilising their prominence in the film. Similar to the film, a Golden Ticket competition was launched, with a tour of a chocolate factory being one of the many prizes. Recently the website has been changed, and advertises a new candy,"Tinglerz", which are chocolate covered pieces that pop in your mouth.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Zeldes, Leah A. (October 30, 2009). "Willy Wonka lives in Chicagoland". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc.. http://blog.diningchicago.com/2009/10/30/willy-wonka-lives-in-chicagoland/. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
[edit] External links
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