For better or for worse, we live in a branded world. We are at a time in history when brands go beyond being business platforms to becoming symbols of our times. Brands like McDonald's, Sony and Budweiser often reflect the changing values of our society. Brands are more than just advertising, they are part of our culture. Andy Warhol & Campbell's? Soup. Norman Rockwell and Coca-Cola? (Lomsky-Feder & Rapoport, 32). One of the most enduring popular culture symbols and common household item is the PEZ dispenser. Invented in 1927, this unique form of candy is associated with popular icons of nearly every generation, multiple companies world wide, and is the subject of thousands of web-pages devoted to the product, its nostalgic aspect, and the collecting of dispensers. PEZ dispensers and the consistent recipe of the candy itself, once designed simply as a smoker's breath mint, are now one of the most identifiable icons world-wide. It is the purpose of this paper to explore the history and importance in pop-culture of PEZ.
