Tootsie Pop

An orange-flavored Tootsie Roll Pop.

Tootsie Pops[1] are hard candy lollipops filled with chocolate-flavored chewy Tootsie Roll. They were invented in 1931 by Lukas R. "Luke" Weisgram, an employee of The Sweets Company of America. The company changed its name to Tootsie Roll Industries in 1969.

The candy debuted in 1931. In addition to chocolate (the original flavor), Tootsie Pops come in cherry, orange, caramel, grape, raspberry, strawberry, watermelon, blue raspberry, candy cane (seasonal), and now, pomegranate, banana, blueberry, lemon, and green apple flavors. Another release of Tootsie Roll Pops, named Tropical Stormz, features six swirl-textured flavors: orange, lemon lime, strawberry banana, apple blueberry, citrus punch, and berry punch. All flavors apply only to the hard candy surrounding the core; the soft core is always chocolate Tootsie Roll material.

In 2002, sixty million Tootsie Rolls and twenty million Tootsie Pops were produced every day.[2]

Commercials

Various wrapped Tootsie Roll Pops

Tootsie Pops are known for the catch phrase "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?". The phrase was first introduced in an animated commercial which debuted on U.S. television in 1969.[3] In the original television ad, a questioning boy poses the question to a cow, a fox, a turtle and an owl. Each one of the first three animals tells the boy to ask someone else, explaining that they'd bite a Tootsie Pop every time they lick one. Eventually, he asks the owl, who starts licking it, but bites into the lollipop after only three licks, much to the chagrin of the boy, who gets the empty stick back. The commercial ends the same way, with various flavored Tootsie Pops unwrapped and being "licked away" until being crunched in the center.[4]

While the original commercial is 60 seconds long, an edited 30-second version and 15-second version of this commercial are the ones that have aired innumerable times over the years. The dialogue to the 60-second version is as follows:

Questioning Boy (Buddy Foster): Mr. Cow...
Mr. Cow (Frank Nelson): Yeeeeesss!!?
Questioning Boy: How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?!
Mr. Cow: I don't know, I always end up biting. Ask Mr. Fox, for he's much cleverer than I.
Questioning Boy: Mr. Fox, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?!!
Mr. Fox (Paul Frees): Why don't you ask Mr. Turtle, for he's been around a lot longer than I! Me, heheh, I bite!
Questioning Boy: Mr. Turtle, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Turtle (Ralph James): I ain't never made it without biting. Ask Mr. Owl, for he is the wisest of us all.
Questioning Boy: Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop!?
Mr. Owl (Paul Winchell): A good question. Let's find out. (He takes the Tootsie pop and starts licking) A One... A two-HOO... A tha-three..
(crunch sound effect)
Mr. Owl: A Three!
Questioning Boy: If there's anything I can't stand, it's a smart owl.
Narrator (Herschel Bernardi): How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
(crunch sound effect)
Narrator: The world may never know.

In the shorter 30-second ad, Mr. Owl returns the spent candy stick, and the boy's final line is replaced with a reaction shot and a beat of silence.[5][6] The 30-second commercial dialogue is as follows:

Questioning Boy: Mr. Turtle, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Turtle: I ain't never made it without biting. Ask Mr. Owl.
Questioning Boy: Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Owl: Let's find out. A One... A.two-HOO...A three..
(crunch sound effect)
Mr. Owl: A Three!
Narrator: How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
(crunch sound effect)
Narrator: The world may never know.

The 15-second commercial (which still airs today) only shows the boy with Mr. Owl and a different narrator (Frank Leslie) speaks the same above line, but without the scene showing the Tootsie Roll pops slowly disappearing with an APM Music track "Crepe Suzette" (composed by Cyril Watters) playing in the background. The question still stands unanswered.[7] The dialogue is as follows:

Questioning Boy: Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Owl: Let's find out. A One... A.two-HOO...A three..
(crunch sound effect)
Narrator (Frank Leslie): How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The world may never know.

After the commercial, Mr. Oliver Owl became the mascot for Tootsie Roll Pops, appearing in marketing campaigns and on the packaging.

In the 1990s, a new commercial was made featuring a boy asking a robot and a dragon how many licks it takes to get to the center, with the Tootsie Pops known for the catch phrase "How many licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop?", rather than "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?".[8]

In the early 1970s, Tootsie Pops were the initial lollipop of choice of the titular character in the TV series Kojak, and are seen prominently beginning in the December 12, 1973, episode "Dark Sunday" when Lt. Theo Kojak decides to favor them instead of cigarettes.

Rumors and set attempts

Redeemable wrappers

At some point, a rumor began that the lollipop wrappers which bore three unbroken circles were redeemable for free candy or even free items like shirts and other items. The rumor was untrue, but some shops have honored the wrapper offer over the years, allowing people to "win" a free pop.

Some stores redeemed lollipop wrappers with the "shooting star" (bearing an image of a child dressed as a Native American aiming a bow and arrow at a star) for a free sucker. This was clearly up to the store owner and not driven by the lollipop manufacturer.[9] One convenience store in Iowa City, Iowa, for example, gave candy away when the children asked. Also, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Osco Drug used to give children free suckers for star wrappers. In 1994, the owner of Dan’s Shortstop told a reporter that when he first opened children came by often, but after a while, he said he had to stop giving things away. Giveaways also occurred in Chico, California, where a 7-Eleven store manager in the Pleasant Valley area, said she had to stop because it had become too expensive.[10] Since 1982, Tootsie Roll Industries has been distributing a "consolation prize", the short story, The Legend of the Indian Wrapper, to children who mail in their Indian star wrappers.[11]

Lick tests

A student study by Purdue University concluded that it takes an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop using a "licking machine",[12][13] while it takes an average of 252 licks when tried by 20. Yet another study by the University of Michigan concluded that it takes 411 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. A 1996 study by undergraduate students at Swarthmore College concluded that it takes a median of 144 licks (range 70–222) to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.[14] Nolan Walker personally found that it takes 1,139 licks as documented in a home experiment on December, 1997.[15] Harvard Grad students created a rotating mechanical tongue and concluded it took 2255 licks. It took 2256 licks on one attempt for a normal raspberry Tootsie Pop to get the center showing. YouTube star Ryan Higa found out that it took 700 licks to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop.[16]

In 2014, the Tribology Laboratory at the University of Florida published a study examining the coupled effects of biology, corrosion, and mechanical agitation on the wear of Tootsie Roll Pops. Self reported wear data from 58 participants was used in conjunction with statistical analysis of actual lollipop cross-sectional information in a numerical simulation to compute the average number of licks required to reach the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. The number of licks required to reach the center, based on equatorial cross-section data, was found to be nearly independent of the licking style with the one-sided approach requiring 195±18 licks and the full-surface approach requiring 184±33. Detailed examination of the lollipops indicates that the minimum candy shell thickness is rarely (if ever) located along the equator. Using the global minimum distance resulted in a calculated 130±29 licks to reach the center, independent of licking style.[17]

Flavors

Original assortment

  • Chocolate
  • Raspberry
  • Cherry
  • Lemon
  • Orange
  • Grape

All assortment flavors can also be purchased in single-flavor bulk. In 2004, and again in 2011 with different flavors, Tootsie Pops would have a random, rotating sixth flavor.

Tropical Stormz

  • Strawberry/Banana
  • Citrus Punch
  • Berry Berry Punch
  • Lemon/Lime
  • Orange/Pineapple

"Wild Berry" assortment

  • Wild Apple Berry
  • Wild Blueberry
  • Wild Black Cherry
  • Wild Cherry Berry
  • Wild Mango Berry

Non-standard

  • Banana (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2011)
  • Pomegranate (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2012)
  • Blueberry (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2011)
  • Lemon-Lime (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2004)
  • Blue Raspberry (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2004)
  • Watermelon (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2004)
  • Strawberry (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2004)
  • Strawberry-Watermelon (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor" in 2015)
  • Green Apple (Rotated as a "Sixth Flavor")
  • Pineapple
  • Tangerine
  • Fruit Punch

Non-standard flavors can be now purchased in single-flavor bulk.

Additional flavors: Strawberry-Vanilla, Cherry (Valentine's Day), Tangerine, Pineapple, Tropical Punch, Wild Blackberry and Strawberry Watermelon.

Seasonal

  • Candy Cane (Christmas seasonal flavor, also available as Pop Drops)
  • Caramel (Halloween seasonal flavor but seems to be sold all year)

"Sweet & Sour Bunch" pops

The "Sweet & Sour Bunch" flavors came in a package of 8 Assortment pops, at .50 oz. / 14.8 grams each.

  • Sour Apple
  • Sour Blackberry
  • Sour Blue Raspberry
  • Sour Lemon
  • Sweet Cherry
  • Sweet Grape
  • Sweet Orange
  • Sweet Raspberry

Sister Products

  • Tootsie Rolls - The original Tootsie candy that Tootsie Pops were based from.
  • Tootsie Pop Drops - Smaller Tootsie Pops without the stick, made to be portable and often sold in a pocket package.[18]
    • Pop Drops Assortment: Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Chocolate, Orange, and Grape.
    • Candy Cane Pop Drops (seasonal)
  • Caramel Apple Pops - Similar to Tootsie Pops (hard candy apple shell with chewy caramel center) but flatter.
    • Caramel Apple Pops (Original Flavor: Green Apple aka Granny Smith)
    • Caramel Apple Orchard Pops (Three Flavors: Red Macintosh, Green Apple, Golden Delicious)
  • Charms Blow Pops - Tootsie Pops with gum in the center instead of a Tootsie Roll
    • Charms Blow Pops Assortment: Cherry, Sour Apple, Grape, Watermelon, Strawberry, Blue Raspberry
    • Super Blow Pops
    • Blow Pops Minis
    • Way-2-Sour Blow Pops

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to Tootsie – Product Information – Tootsie Pops: Original". Tootsie.com. 2010-05-22. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  2. ↑ Aaseng, Nathan. Business Builders in Sweets & Treats Archived 2018-04-24 at the Wayback Machine.. Minneapolis: Oliver Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-881508-84-7, p. 108.
  3. ↑ "Tootsie Roll Inc". tootsie.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  4. ↑ Tootsie Roll (14 August 2012). "Classic Tootsie Roll Commercial - "How Many Licks"". Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  5. ↑ Tootsie Roll (14 August 2012). "Classic Tootsie Roll Commercial - "How Many Licks"". Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ Tootsie Roll (15 January 2014). "Tootsie Roll Commercial - "How Many Licks" - Short". Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Tootsie Roll Pop - Mr. Owl - short (classic) 0:15 (USA)". adland.tv. 28 August 2005. Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Gamer Zylo (5 July 2007). "Tootsie Pop 3D commercial". Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "The Mystery of the Tootsie Pop Indian Wrapper". about.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "The Wrapper". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09.
  11. ↑ "The Legend of the Indian Wrapper" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-10-02.
  12. ↑ "Nestle getting out of the candy business and 10 other Halloween candy fun facts you didn't know". Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "How Many Licks Does It Take?". Tootsie Roll.
  14. ↑ "The Tootsie Project". Kathryn A. Zyla. 1996-04-09. Archived from the original on 2011-08-20. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  15. ↑ "1,139 licks to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop". Nolan Walker. December 1997. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  16. ↑ "Rap God (Dear Ryan)". NigaHiga. 2014-03-14. Archived from the original on 2014-05-01. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
  17. ↑ Sawyer, W.G. (2014). "Lessons from the Lollipop: Biotribology, Tribocorrosion, and Irregular Surfaces". Tribology Letters.
  18. ↑ "Monitoring kamery do monitoringu, monitoring CCTV, kamery przemysłowe - Snackmemory.com". www.snackmemory.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.