The Candy That Skyrocketed In Sales After An Iconic Seinfeld Episode
"Seinfeld" fans will know that many of the show's plotlines cleverly center on food, whether it's the devious marble rye plot of George Costanza (Jason Alexander) or the battle of Kramer (Michael Richards) against the new chicken eatery across the street. But sometimes, candy serves as quite the antagonist, with the sweet treat of a main character negatively impacting another individual in some way.
A popular example is seen in Season 4, Episode 20 ("The Junior Mint"), when Kramer munches on a box of chocolate candies while observing the operation of Roy (Sherman Howard), boyfriend of Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). As he urges Jerry to try one of the mints, a scuffle ensues, causing one of them to fall into Roy's body.
Then, in Season 5, Episode 22 ("The Opposite"), another of Elaine's boyfriends, Jake Jarmel (Marty Rackham), finds himself in the hospital after a car accident. She's delivered this news while waiting for him at the movies and, before heading to see him, purchases a box of Jujyfruits. Naturally, Jake is offended by her brief detour.
There's also George and his epic Twix mission in Season 9, Episode 11 ("The Dealership") when he's convinced that a mechanic stole the candy bar he intended to get out of a vending machine. Each of these sugary storylines is memorable in its own way. However, there's another candy-inspired plotline that had a real-life impact on the brand.
The Pez Dispenser episode resulted in a rebound of the candy
In Season 3, Episode 14 ("The Pez Dispenser"), George takes Jerry and Elaine along to the piano recital of his girlfriend Noel (Elizabeth Morehead). However, the concert is ruined when Jerry places his Tweety Bird Pez dispenser on Elaine's lap, inciting loud, uncontrollable laughter while Noel plays.
In a behind-the-scenes interview, Jason Alexander revealed that in the weeks following the episode's airing, Pez sales skyrocketed. The company even sent the cast dispensers with their own heads on top. He said, "We took a relatively dead, obscure product, and that was very notable because I think that may have been the first time where you really saw something that we were just goofing around with on the show suddenly have a rebound in the world."
But what about the Tweety Pez dispenser, introduced in 1978, was so impactful? Many fans on Reddit felt the bright yellow color and easily recognizable "Looney Tunes" character make it a good choice, especially given the dimly-lit venue scene. U/semimillennial added, "I think it's Tweety's earnest facial expression and his cheeks that make him such a funny choice." U/mellety had fun imagining the selection process: "I picture Larry David lining up all the dispensers and putting them on his leg to see which is the funniest."
Pez has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1920s Austria. Though the brand has expanded to include countless characters, "Seinfeld" fans can still head to eBay and get their hands on Jerry's version of Tweety.