KOOL-AID
A REVOLUTION IN REFRESHMENT
Kool Aid, originally Kool-Ade, was created by Edwin Perkins in 1927 in Hastings, Nebraska. Perkins developed a revolutionary way to remove the liquid from juice concentrate, leaving behind a powdered drink mix. He packaged the powder mix in small paper envelope packs. Kool Aid was popular due to its variety of flavors and low price during the Great Depression. It allowed struggling families to make an entire pitcher of Kool Aid with just one small packet sold for just 5 cents. Later in 1931 The Perkins Products Company relocated its Kool Aid manufacturing plant from Nebraska to Chicago to meet high demand and in 1953 Perkins sold the company to General Foods, allowing Kool-Aid to reach an even larger scale and national audience.
THE FAMOUS “KOOL-AID MAN”
Kool Aid's famous “Pitcher Man” was debuted in 1954, promoting the product in a variety of print ads across the U.S. The character was redesigned in the 1970s into the giant wall crashing "Kool-Aid Man." The product improved alongside its mascot, in 1964 the company released its first pre-sweetened Kool-Aid, making it more convenient, saving families the step of adding sugar themselves. Kool Aid started promoting their product with the Kool Aid man through television commercials in 1975 with the memorable “Oh Yeah” catchphrase making Kool Aid a household name and the Kool Aid man one of the most recognizable advertising mascots in American history. The brand continued to expand with sugar-free varieties, ready to drink beverages, and products such as ice pops and drink pouches. Today, Kool-Aid remains one of America's most recognizable beverage brands, remembered for its colorful flavors, iconic mascot, and lasting place in generations of childhood memories.
