What is Popsicle?

Popsicle is the most popular brand name in the U.S. and Canada for a brand of ice pop. Popsicle is a trademark owned by Unilever, although it has entered the general vernacular in North America. It was founded in Michigan.

History

Frozen juice bars have existed since the 19th century, but the Popsicle was the first form of the product to be mass marketed.

Today it is estimated that three million Popsicles are sold annually. There are more than thirty different flavors.

Timeline

• 1905, 11 year old Frank Epperson left his lemonade out on the porch, which contained a stir stick. That night, temperatures in California reached record low temperatures, so when he woke the next morning, by serendipity he discovered that it had frozen to the stir stick, creating a fruit flavored ice treat named the epsicle. He then waited 18 years for it to be released to the public.
• 1922, the ice-lollipop was introduced to the public for the first time at an Oakland ball for firemen.
• 1924, Frank Epperson applied for a patent for "frozen confectionery" called the Epsicle ice pop, which he re-named the Popsicle, allegedly at the instigation of his children. It was originally available in seven flavors and marketed as a "frozen drink on a stick."
• 1925, Epperson sold the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. Good Humor, a subsidiary of Unilever, now owns the rights.
• 1940s, Woody Gelman created Popsicle Pete as its mascot. He appeared in print and television advertisements, and activity books until 1995.
• In June 2006, Popsicles with "Natural Flavors and Colors" were introduced, replacing the original versions. Company spokespeople cited customer requests for "an option without some colors and flavors to which some had allergies" as the reason for the change.

Facts and figures

• The wrapper on traditional Popsicle brand ice bars described their bar as "a quiescently frozen confection."

Slogan

The Popsicle brand uses a common slogan that reads "If it's Popsicle, it's possible". ^[1] This slogan is carried out through a lot of the cardboard advertisements that Popsicle gives to vendors. The alternative rock band Fuzzicle mocked the Popsicle slogan by recreating it and rewording it to "If it's Fuzzicle, it's feasible" which carries the same meaning.^[2]

Creamsicle brand

Creamsicle is a brand name, also owned by Unilever, for a frozen dessert which resembles an ice pop, with a center composed of vanilla ice cream, and an exterior layer of flavored ice frozen around a wooden or plastic stick. Popular flavors for Creamsicles include orange and raspberry.

American National Creamsicle Day is celebrated on 14 August annually.

Flavors

• Fruity:
-Regular - Orange, Cherry, Grape
-Red, White, and Blue - Cherry, Lemon, Blue raspberry
-Root Beer, Banana, and Lemon-lime - Root Beer, Banana, Lemon-lime
-Super-Twin - Champion Cherry, Orbiting Orange, Gigantic Grape
-Cherry Torpedo - Cherry
-Rainbow - Strawberry, Banana, Bubble gum, Sour apple
-Scribblers - Three different flavors per popsicle; 13 possible color and flavor combinations
-Great White - Lemon ,
-Firecracker Super Heroes - Captain America (Blue raspberry, Lemon, and Cherry); The Incredible Hulk (Strawberry-kiwi, Grape, Green apple); Spider-Man (Cherry, Strawberry-kiwi, Blue raspberry)
-Life Savers Pop - (From bottom to top) Pineapple, Orange, Watermelon, Cherry, Raspberry
-Big Foot - Cherry and Cotton candy swirled foot-shaped pop with a gumball
-Big Stick - Cherry and Pineapple swirls
-Popsicle Zone Cups - Cherry collision and Lightning lemonade
-Goal - Cherry and Lemonade soccer ball-shaped pops with a gumball attached

• Milk-based:
-Double Fudge Firecracker - Fudge on the top and Banana on the bottom
-Fudgsicle - Fudge flavored bars and pops
-Creamsicle - Vanilla flavored ice cream on the inside with an orange or raspberry sherbet flavored shell
-Jell-O Pudding Pops - Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla/Chocolate swirl

• Famous Faces:
-Snoopy - Vanilla and Chocolate flavored ice cream with a milk chocolate coated back
-SpongeBob SquarePants - Fruit punch and Cotton candy flavored bars with gumball eyes
-Fairly OddParents - Strawberry and Lemonade flavored Cosmo shaped pop
-Dora the Explorer - Strawberry and Banana flavored with gumball eyes
-¡Mucha Lucha! Rikochet - Cherry and Pineapple flavored with gumball eyes
-Mega Warheads - sour Raspberry and Black cherry flavored with Mega Warheads sour candy
-SpiderMan - Strawberry and Lemon flavored with gumball eyes
-Danny Phantom - Strawberry, Lemon, and Blue raspberry flavored with gumball eyes
-Dora the Explorer Pops - Orange, Grape, Watermelon, and Berry flavored star, triangle, wave, cross, and moon shaped pops
-SpongeBob SquarePants Pop Ups - Strawberry and Lemon flavored pops with a star shaped center or Orange and Lemon flavored pops with a pineapple shaped center

Fun with popsicle sticks

There are very elaborate crafts constructed with popsicle sticks [1]. One of the most simple is the 'popsicle stick bomb' constructed from 5 popsicle sticks, as shown in the figure. If it is thrown on the floor, it 'explodes' with a loud snap.

Popsicle stick bridges are a classic engineering education project. Competitions are arranged for children as young as grade 3[2].

Cultural references

• Popsicles play a key part in the plot of the movie American Graffiti. In one scene, Richard Dreyfuss' character discovers the identity of the mysterious DJ Wolfman Jack because of them, and the revelation gives him the courage to leave his hometown gang and go to college.
• One notorious episode of The Gong Show featured an act by two teenage girls whose entire performance consisted of sitting cross-legged in the center of the stage and licking Popsicles in a manner simulating fellatio. Some insiders have claimed that it was this act that led to The Gong Show being canceled.

See also

• Pop (frozen snack)
• Fab (ice lolly)

References

• Jones, Charlotte Foltz (1991). Mistakes That Worked.

Ashley. ISBN 0-385-26246-9. 

External links

• Popsicle.com
• Popsicle stick craft projects links
• Original patent