Talk:Starburst (candy)

Flavors
The article currently says: "in yellow packaging) are strawberry, lemon, orange, and cherry. In Europe, lime took the place of cherry as one of the Original flavors until 2002 when blackcurrant replaced it." However this is innacurate.

In the UK the wish to remove this statement only to replace it with something equaly innacurate.--JamesGlover 01:38, 17 March 2006 (UTC)
 * The UK has lemon & lime; the two were incorporated some years ago (as mentioned in Trivia). If the same is true of the rest of Europe, the above passage can just be amended to make note of this. Simmyymmis 14:50, 17 March 2006 (UTC)


 * I'm sure lemon flavour was in Opal Fruits alongside blackcurrant. I was quite shocked a couple of days ago when I discovered the lemon&lime amalgamation, I always remember them being distinct flavours in my childhood, both appearing alongside blackcurrant.--H7dders 13:16, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

I removed a reference to "Lysergic Lemon" as one of the retro Starburst flavors. I got a good laugh out of it, but it obviously isn't real (Lysergic being a reference to LSD).


 * Still not sure this article is correct. As a child in the UK in the 70's, I was used to Strawberry (red), Orange (orange), Lemon (yellow) and Lime (green). I'm sure the UK didn't get Blackberry until after the name changed to Starburst, as I stopped buying them then (don't like Blackberry).194.28.125.14 (talk) 04:35, 28 December 2012 (UTC)

The flavors listed are wrong. Check out the website http://starburst.com/#/products/fruit-chews/original there are five flavors. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.5.19.11 (talk) 16:35, 20 January 2013 (UTC)

a little embarrassed to know this
...lime was an original US Starburst flavor and was replaced by cherry. I remember quite disctinctly finding a lime candy all by itself in a post-cherry bag as a kid. Sadly I have no way of confirming this information (about the lime anyhow). Korvac 18:36, 3 November 2005 (UTC)


 * I will confirm that lime was an original US flavor, and the packaging was primarily white. When cherry was introduced (replacing lime), the packaging was changed to yellow.  Additionally, the 'Made to make your mouth water' slogan was used in the US for print and television advertising for the spinoff product 'Pacer's Punch Chews'.  I remember the song well: "Pa - cers - Punch - Chews - MADE TO - MAKE YOUR - MOUTH  WA - TER!" limesparks 7:27, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

American/British English: Should the -our be changed?
I've noticed on a few pages spellings like "colour" instead of "color." Now, I don't want to come off as an arrogant American, so I've left these unchanged. But to me it comes as an inconsistency. Should these instances be changed?Attitude2000 19:21, 5 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Read the MoS. The original version used the U.S. "candy" expression (although possibly for consistency; the first version, originally at starburst, later moved here- notes the UK sweet, so writer might not have been U.S.-based). The first significant expansion beyond a stub also used U.S. spelling. I'd say that U.S. spelling wins out here, but don't assume that Wikipedia always spells that way. As the MoS indicates, it doesn't. Fourohfour 19:48, 5 January 2006 (UTC)


 * "Candy" should be replaced by the generic term "confectionery". Candy is not used outside of the USA, except in reference to specific kinds of confection, whilst confectionery is understood universally. Words such as 'colour', 'flavour' etc could not be confused in this way, and since Starburst is owned by a US-based company (Mars inc), it would seem perfectly reasonable to drop the 'u' from the spelling. Indeed, when I recently tidied this article up, I had intended to stick to US spelling, despite being from the UK.Simmyymmis 23:56, 5 January 2006 (UTC)


 * I don't have a problem with US spelling being used here, but it's not because Starburst is owned by a US-based company. If we followed that logic, any British (or Commonwealth) company strongly associated with that particular country would still have to use U.S. spelling if it were taken over by a U.S. company, contrary to what the MoS suggests. Anyway, we're agreed on this one (I won't oppose the change to "confectionery" if you want to do that), so it's not really a problem. :) Fourohfour 13:15, 6 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Perhaps I should have been more specific with my reasoning. Starburst was/is a US-origin product, regardless of who might subsequently own the brand. Some of the most popular (by value) US-origin brands - eg Snapple, SlimFast, Dunkin Donuts, Dr Pepper, Miller Lite, 7Up, Lucky Strike etc - are actually now owned by various European companies (Cadburys, Unilever etc). However, it is the national origin in these cases which should determine the spelling (or as MoS states, the format lain out by the original contributor). This would seem to me to represent a pretty fair and impartial methodology to follow? Simmyymmis 13:58, 6 January 2006 (UTC)


 * (Sorry, missed this comment before). Your suggestion may be "fair and impartial", but then... so are the existing Wikipedia policies, which are basically "If it's primary Country X related, use spelling associated with that country X, otherwise use spelling used in first non-stub version". I'm not convinced that just because Starburst/Opal Fruits are of US origin (by the way, *were* they definitely invented in the US? I don't see any evidence) that this makes them a primarily US thing.
 * As I said already, I want the US spelling kept, but not for the same reason as you do. Fourohfour 15:44, 15 March 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes I agree RE: MOS, and the first non-stub version of this article (by Rhymeless) did use US spelling, so this is consistent; my 'fair and impartial' was just meant as an elaboration of the existing MOS regarding association/origin country, much as you have noted. I did not intend to suggest an alternative methodology at all. The information I read on the history of Starburst claims it was first released in the US - in 1967 - but as its not from Mars, it could well be wrong. Simmyymmis 15:25, 17 March 2006 (UTC)


 * According to the official Starburst "Behind the Burst" page, they came out first in the UK in 1960, and in the US in 1976. boffy_b 05:04, 15 November 2006 (UTC)


 * It's part of Mars' odd company history - for a long while the US and UK Mars firms were seperate, as Mars Jr. came to the UK to set up an independent company. So although Mars is now one American company, it was a British company that first invented Opal Fruits / Starburst. 217.205.144.178 (talk) 11:55, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

Just one point - the word "candy" meaning "sweets" or "confectionary" IS definitely used outside of the USA! For one thing, there used to be sweets around in the UK during the 1970s that were labelled as "candies" on the wrapper, because I remember buying them. Secondly, the well known British "Werther's Original" advert specifically uses the phrase "butter candy", and given the amount of exposure that non Americans get to US movies, TV shows and song lyrics, I don't think you will get many people outside the USA who would say "Candy? what does that mean?". I mean...COME ON. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.198.33.252 (talk) 12:31, 21 April 2011 (UTC)

Date of introduction to the U.S.?
What year were they intoduced to the U.S.?

I remember being a little kid and liking this TV commerical of theirs, which had the camera coursing down a waterslide lined with fruit slices. This would have been around 1980. 151.203.53.103 18:29, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Never mind, i found it on the corporate site. 1976. 151.203.53.10318:34, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

I remember being under the impression it was a new product sometime around 1979-1980 or so, when I was in high school (in the US). I came to this page to find out exactly when, and was very surprised to discover it had been around since I was a baby! I wonder if there was a big marketing and merchandising push in the US around that time? We had lived very frugally before then as Dad had been in the Army, and I was never much of a TV watcher, but still I was very aware of other popular candies in grocery stores. Greg Lovern (talk) 02:18, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

Gelatin in American Starburst
The following is the list of ingredients according to the back of a bag of Starburst:

corn suryp, sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, fruit juice from concentrate (apple, strrawberry, lemon, orange, cherry), citric acid, dextron, gelatin, food starch-modified, natural and artifical flavors, acorbic acid (vitamin c), coloring (red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1)

DewDude 22:24, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Square Shaped?
Are Starburst square shaped? Square is a 2D shape. I have to admit, I can't name the actual shape that they are, but I get the feeling that square isn't right. Damiancorrigan 18:20, 5 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Cuboid. 71.87.213.168 (talk) 22:17, 15 August 2010 (UTC)


 * Rectangular prism HandsomeMrToad (talk) 01:24, 8 August 2016 (UTC)

O.J. Simpson Urban Legend
I deleted the text quoted below from the article, as I know for a fact Starbust used the "Juice is Loose" motto well into 1996 and possibly 1997, I even uploaded a commercial featuring the slogan I had on a video from 1996 to YouTube. Perhaps this could be re-incorporated as a Myths or Urban Legends sub-section?

"In 1994 Starburst changed its American advertisement slogan from "The Juice is Loose" to "Turn Up the Juice" because the former had become associated with O.J. Simpson during his trial for murder." --CJ 09:15, 10 January 2007 (UTC)


 * "Get your juices going" was also a Starburst slogan. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 64.151.8.221 (talk) 01:41, 12 April 2007 (UTC).


 * I added the original text though I did so without citing any source. Firsthand, I remember that at the outset of the OJ trial, Starburst hastily changed their commercials to say "Turn up the juice" instead of "The juice is loose."  I also remember seeing the old (and later reinstated?) slogan show up on bootleg t-shirts worn by people supporting OJ.  Oddly, most of the Google results that show up are word-for-word copies of an uncited statement that I contributed to Everything2 several years ago.  (Here's a "Turn up the juice" commercial but its date is unclear: either 1995 or 1996.) White 720 04:55, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
 * The juice is still on the loose, too ;_;

Confectionary
Why is the title "confectionary"? What's wrong with "candy"? -205.153.156.222 00:45, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
 * It's not a universal term, it's entirely American English. Here in the UK, we don't use the word "candy" at all. "Confectionery" is far more apt. H7dders 08:29, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
 * SO?


 * Quite. I've moved it back again. DWaterson 20:55, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Hard Candy?
I remember that at one point, Starburst sdold hard cany versions of their flavors, however, I haven't been able to find them anywhere lately. does anyone know what ever happened to them?

They still make them, they're sold at a vending machine in my work. Other than that I have no idea though.

World record
Is there currently a world record for the longest starburst chain...just a little curious cause i have one thats 21 feet long. and would an interesting addirion to this very boring page on the best candy in the world:D.

No..........I don't think it would be interesting to add...it would just ruin the whole thing...Halo3master5000 03:56, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

anyone remember the star burst straws? they were in a yellow package and were kinda like licorice. i called them and asked they deny making them ever, but i and many of my friends ate them religiously when we were kids. WTF happened? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.244.227.194 (talk) 09:42, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

These were around c. 1997. I seem to recall they sold very poorly and lasted three years, at most. Modor (talk) 23:43, 7 October 2009 (UTC)Modor

Fair use rationale for Image:Starburst Logo.gif
Image:Starburst Logo.gif is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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BetacommandBot (talk) 11:44, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

Pinks and Reds Only
Why not just package the Pinks and the Reds in a single package?

90% of Starburst fans would jump up and down with joy.

I completely agree! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.26.184.35 (talk) 02:34, 30 July 2010 (UTC)


 * Start jumping: I saw a bag of them for Halloween this year (I live near DC, for regional reference). FlaviaR (talk) 20:59, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Kiss Starburst Goodbye (least in the UK)
starburst will soon be known as opal fruits (again) this will need to be address when the change is finally made see the daily mail PheonixRMB (talk) 10:57, 01 May 2008 (UTC)

I see you are incapable of reading beyond the first two paragraphs of a news story, so we can't really trust your information. --78.151.101.91 (talk) 03:30, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

It will be sold as Opal fruits for twelve weeks starting from May 10th, and will only be sold in Asda. Falcon-eagle2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.192.246.56 (talk) 18:53, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

Taffy?
Can it be called a taffy? Jigen III (talk) 11:14, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

Juicy Fruits???
EVerywhere in the article, it says "OPal Fruits", except in the picture caption, and the first line, where it inexplicably says "Juicy Fruits". I'm changing it to Opal Fruits unless someone can explain Juicy Fruits. 162.136.193.1 (talk) 22:40, 11 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Juicy Fruit is a brand of gum which, like Starburst, is associated with Wrigley. Stonemason89 (talk) 17:56, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

German invention
This stuff is exactly the same de:Maoam and was invented in 1930.87.178.127.66 (talk) 18:35, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Actually I don't think it is the same. Maoam is a popular product in Poland, while Starburst (as Opal Fruits) were launched here unsuccessfully. This was the only Mars product that didn't sell here and was pulled out. So if they were the same that would be strange, as Maoam is very popular. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.255.247.72 (talk) 16:27, 27 October 2011 (UTC)

possible variety list article?
Is it possible to do a "List of Starburst products" article? I mean, Skittles has one...Visokor (talk) 10:17, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

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 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20100922111852/http://www.candyusa.com:80/Candy/content.cfm?ItemNumber=986 to http://www.candyusa.com/Candy/content.cfm?ItemNumber=986

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Edit request (copied from User talk:31.94.62.134)
This dynamic IP address — EE mobile in the UK — is blocked. That’s a quarter of the UK’s mobile editors right there. Odd choice. However, here’s my main point. Starburst (candy) was vandalised and not repaired properly. The intro currently reads:

“… Summer Blast and Originalin Mars in 1960, the regular flavours are blackcurrant …”

Going by the history, it needs to read:

“… Summer Blast and Original.

Introduced in the United Kingdom in 1960, the regular flavours are blackcurrant …”

Thanks!

Signed: a guy on EE mobile on a Transpennine Express train with broken wifi who doesn’t have and doesn’t want a Wikipedia account. 31.94.62.134 (talk) 14:36, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * ✅ Liu1126 (talk) 16:06, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Peter Phillips
The article states that they were 'named Opal Fruits by Peter Phillips (known as Peter Pfeffer at the time), the winner of a competition that won him £5'. This is incorrect. Phillips worked for London ad agency Masius Wynne-Williams, who had the contract for naming the new sweet. Peter Phillips won £5 from the agency’s head of copy for coming up with the name Opal Fruits.

Phillips was born Peter Pfeffer. His Jewish family fled Vienna in 1936 when he was 3 years old.

Source https://forward.com/culture/392213/trump-tossed-starburst-at-angela-merkel-in-a-fit-of-pique/ 82.4.80.247 (talk) 14:15, 17 April 2024 (UTC)