What’s made to make your mouth water?
Starburst?
Nope.
Opal Fruits were introduced to the UK by Mars Wrigley in 1959 and named by Peter Pfeffer, a copywriter working at London advertising agency Masius & Ferguson. He won the naming competition, and £5 for his efforts – he’d previously helped write the famous slogan “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play”.
They were launched in the US in 1967 as M&M’s Fruit Chewies, but after only a year renamed as Starburst due to M&M’s being more known for chocolate.
Fast-forward to 1998 and despite protests, Opal Fruits were renamed in Ireland and the UK as Starburst to align with the global marketplace.
But as with many renamed favourites, us Brits stubbornly cling to what we know, the original chewy sweet flavours of strawberry, orange, lemon, and the super citric lime flavour will always be Opal Fruits to us.
So, it was impossible to ignore a grab bag of limited edition Opal Fruits the other day – my mouth was watering. What a brilliant marketing strategy. There was no way I could walk out of Tesco without buying a bag. Likely to be merely an intriguing purchase for anyone who grew up post Opal era, they’re surely a must-buy for anyone like me; over 35 who likes a little nostalgia.
I’ll be on the lookout for a Marathon next.
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