Screaming Yellow Zonkers

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Screaming Yellow Zonkers are a snack food, first produced by Lincoln Snacks in the USA in the 1960s. Screaming Yellow Zonkers are popcorn with a yellow sugary glaze, in a black box.

It was the first food item to be packaged in black.^{[citation needed]} The box contains humorous print, such as what to do with Screaming Yellow Zonkers, or that 8 oz. (226g) = 1/4,409 of a metric ton. (This comic content was provided by Allan Katz and Howie Krakow who wrote the copy on the first several boxes, and the award-winning TV and radio campaigns.) Zonkers are geared towards those who enjoy sweetened popcorn without nuts, as opposed to products like Cracker Jack. They are kosher, but do contain dairy.

While the front of the package was simple and understated, the rest of the Zonkers box was completely covered with wonderfully crazy copy, accompanied by illustrations, informing the reader everything from “how to wash Zonkers” to “how to mate them.” The bottom of the box explained how to determine if it were indeed the bottom. “Open the top, and turn the box upside down. If the Zonkers fall out this is the bottom. If they fall up, this is the top. If nothing happens, this box is empty.”

World class illustrators became a part of the Zonkers phenomenon. Airbrush artist Charlie White illustrated the front of the Circus box while Seymour Chwast’s work decorated the rest. White also illustrated a giant Zonkers circus poster, inspired by more of Katz’s copy. The poster was offered on the circus box for “$2.95 to include shipping handling and profit.” The poster was recently listed on Ebay at a starting bid of $5000. The circus box ended up being displayed in the Louvre in Paris.^{[citation needed]}

Print on Box:

WHAT TO DO WITH SCREAMING YELLOW ZONKERS:

Put them in your mouth
Put them in your friend's mouth
Read to them
Dress them up and take them to the show
Tease them
Yell back at them
Juggle them

WHAT NOT TO DO WITH SCREAMING YELLOW ZONKERS:

Don't put them in a room with a beast.
Don't ignore them
Don't paint them blue
Don't lie to them
Don't buy them a new car
Don't leave them in a car
Don't buy them shoes
Don't let them talk to strangers